Prompt engineering may or may not require coding skills depending on the technique and model used. Some techniques like prefix-tuning or chain-of-thought prompting require deep learning or gradient descent methods, which involve coding skills. Other techniques like standard prompting or manual prompting require more linguistic and domain-specific skills and do not require coding.
Prompt engineering is the future of AI ?
Prompt engineering is a concept that has recently gained significant attention, as it allows users to communicate with large language models (LLMs) and image generators using natural language. Essentially, prompt engineering involves designing input prompts that elicit the desired output from AI systems.
Some people believe that prompt engineering represents the future of AI, as it enables users to leverage the power and versatility of LLMs and image generators for a wide range of use cases and industries. They argue that prompt engineering is an essential skill for businesses and organizations looking to create more effective and engaging user experiences with AI.
However, others view prompt engineering as a hack, or at best, a temporary solution until more intuitive and controllable user interfaces (UIs) are developed for AI systems. They point out that prompt engineering can be challenging, unpredictable, and inefficient, as it requires trial and error, domain knowledge, and creativity to craft effective prompts. They also suggest that text prompts may not be the best way to express some types of information or preferences, such as emotions, styles, or sketches.
Therefore, while prompt engineering has potential, it may not be the ultimate future of AI. Instead, it could be considered a current reality that needs to be improved and complemented by other UIs that can offer more fine-grained control and feedback over the AI output.
How to make money with prompt engineering
There are a few ways to make money with prompt engineering, which is the skill of designing and crafting natural language prompts used to generate responses from AI models such as language models or image generators.
One option is to apply for a job as a prompt engineer at an AI company that uses large language models or image generators. For instance, Anthropic is currently seeking a prompt engineer and librarian with a salary range of $175,000 to $335,000 per year. Basic coding skills, familiarity with LLMs and prompt engineering techniques, and experience with natural language processing tasks are some of the requirements for this position.
Another way to earn money is to sell your prompts on a platform like PromptBase, a marketplace for buying and selling quality prompts that produce the best results for LLMs and image generators like DALL·E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and ChatGPT2. You can upload your prompts, connect with Stripe, and become a seller in just 2 minutes. You can also generate images directly in PromptBase using Stable Diffusion and sell them on the marketplace.
Lastly, you can create your own products or services using prompt engineering and LLMs or image generators. For example, you can develop a chatbot, a text generator, a content creator, or an image synthesizer using prompt engineering and offer it to your customers or clients. You can also use prompt engineering to enhance your current products or services by adding AI features or capabilities, like generating personalized recommendations, summaries, captions, or feedback for your users.
Which Skills Needed for Prompt Engineering
Prompt engineering is a skill that involves designing and crafting natural language prompts that are used to generate responses from AI models such as language models or image generators. To be an effective prompt engineer, one needs a combination of technical and non–technical skills, including:
Coding: Basic coding skills are essential for prompt engineers, as they may need to use programming languages and frameworks like Python, TensorFlow, and PyTorch to interact with AI models and tools. Coding skills are also helpful for data analysis, visualization, and automation of prompt engineering tasks.
Software development: Software development skills are useful for prompt engineers, as they may need to develop and deploy AI models and applications using prompt engineering techniques. These skills are also helpful for testing, debugging, and optimizing prompts and AI outputs.
Database management: Database management skills are crucial for prompt engineers, as they may need to store, retrieve, and manipulate large amounts of data for prompt engineering purposes. Database management skills are also helpful for ensuring data security, privacy, and integrity.
Problem-solving: Problem-solving skills are essential for prompt engineers, as they need to be able to analyze problems, identify solutions, and implement them effectively. These skills are also helpful for troubleshooting, experimenting, and improving prompts and AI outputs.
Communication: Communication skills are vital for prompt engineers, as they need to be able to communicate clearly and concisely with AI models using natural language. Communication skills are also helpful for collaborating with other prompt engineers, researchers, developers, and users.
Teamwork: Teamwork skills are important for prompt engineers, as they need to be able to work well with others in a multidisciplinary environment. These skills are also helpful for sharing ideas, feedback, and best practices with other prompt engineers, researchers, developers, and users.
Creative thinking: Creative thinking skills are crucial for prompt engineers, as they need to be able to come up with original and effective prompts that elicit the desired output from AI models. These skills are also helpful for exploring new possibilities, generating novel solutions, and adapting to changing scenarios.
How can I learn Prompt Engineering skills?
There are several resources and opportunities available to learn prompt engineering skills, such as:
Online courses: Many platforms offer online courses that focus on AI communication and prompt engineering, including Coursera, Udacity, and edX. For instance, you can enroll in “Prompt Engineering+: Master Speaking To AI (2023)” on Udemy, which covers fundamental principles and concepts of prompt engineering, advanced techniques, and applications.
Books and guides: Several books and guides provide comprehensive and practical information on prompt engineering, such as “Prompt Engineering Guide” by Prompting Guide AI, which includes the latest papers, learning guides, models, lectures, references, new LLM capabilities, and tools related to prompt engineering.
Online platforms and tools: You can use online platforms and tools that support prompt engineering and allow you to interact with AI models and generate outputs using natural language prompts. For example, PromptBase is a marketplace for buying and selling quality prompts for LLMs and image generators. You can also use Learn Prompting, an open-source, interactive course with applied prompt engineering techniques and concepts.
Community and network: You can learn from other prompt engineers and enthusiasts by joining online communities and networks that share ideas, feedback, and best practices on prompt engineering. For instance, you can join the Prompt Engineering Discord server, which has over 21K members who discuss prompt engineering topics and challenges. You can also follow prompt engineering experts and influencers on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Medium.
Example of some possible AI art prompts:
- Create an abstract painting using bold, vibrant colors.
- Generate a landscape image that features a dramatic sunset or sunrise.
- Design a futuristic cityscape with towering skyscrapers and flying vehicles.
- Produce an image of a majestic creature such as a dragon or unicorn.
- Generate a portrait of a historical figure or celebrity with a unique twist, such as a steampunk or cyberpunk style.
- Create an image of a fantasy world with magical creatures and landscapes.
- Produce a surreal scene featuring floating objects and unusual perspectives.
- Generate an image of an underwater world with exotic sea life.
- Design a pattern inspired by nature, such as a leaf or flower.
- Create an image of a city at night with glowing neon lights.
- Produce an image of a person or animal with a mechanical or robotic enhancement.
- Generate an image of a space scene with planets, stars, and galaxies.
- Create a collage of different objects or textures that form an interesting composition.
- Produce an image of a mythical creature such as a griffin or phoenix.
- Generate a portrait of a pet with a unique twist, such as a superhero costume or fantasy background.
- Design a pattern inspired by a cultural tradition, such as a tribal motif or paisley pattern.