Prompt Engineering Is Dead—Long Live Prompt Engineering

Two years ago, prompt engineering was the hottest skill in tech. Today, AI models understand natural language so well that elaborate prompts often perform worse than simple ones. So is prompt engineering dead? Yes and no.

Basic prompt engineering—adding "step by step" or "act as an expert"—is increasingly unnecessary as models improve. Modern LLMs understand intent from context, making prompt tricks feel like teaching your grandma to use Google. The skill floor has dropped dramatically.

But the skill ceiling has risen. Advanced prompt engineering now means understanding model architectures, designing evaluation frameworks, and optimizing for specific use cases. It's less about magic words and more about systematic testing. The prompt engineers who thrive are becoming AI systems designers—understanding not just what to ask, but how to build robust systems around AI responses.