This is part 1 of a 6-part mini essay base. It is written in a simple language to help non-technical users get started on AI and Prompt Engineering.
Generative AI, like Anthropic and ChatGPT (OpenAI), has revolutionised how we create content, solve problems, generate ideas and increasingly, how we get job done (Agents).
At the heart of this revolution is prompt engineering—the skill of designing precise instructions (prompts) to guide AI systems to produce desired results.
It is the language of AI – think of it as giving very specific directions to a helper who knows a lot but only does exactly what you tell them.
For instance:
- If you ask, “What’s the weather?”, the AI will provide a general response.
- But if you say, “Tell me the current temperature in London in Celsius and compare it to yesterday’s high,” you’ll get a much more tailored answer.
AI’s output depends on the clarity and precision of your prompt. A poorly written prompt can lead to vague or incorrect outputs whereas a well-designed prompt ensures high-quality, contextually accurate responses in the right tone and format, saving time and effort. Mastering prompt engineering is essential to maximise productivity in the AI era.
By learning prompt engineering, you unlock the true power of AI, enabling it to work as your creative assistant, analytical thinker, or even a coding helper.
Some may argue – isn’t it just English, how we communicate to every person? Lets explore the answer to that question in the next essay.
Hola 