Prompt Engineers for AI vs. Conversation Engineers for Humans. A satirical argument.

Why read the blog article when you can watch it on YouTube?

        Prompt Engineering is a new career field in the emerging AI economy. A Prompt Engineer is not fast or punctual. Instead, the engineer uses prompts as input queries for an AI program to output responses. A Prompt Engineer is expected to incorporate AI into the workplace and bridge the communication gap separating human needs from computer-generated solutions. For example, when the AI hallucinates, the Prompt Engineer can fine-tune queries to nudge the program in the right direction or act as an interpreter. Hallucination is the term techies use to describe inaccuracies created by AI. In addition, the engineer will train management and others in the workplace to use AI to increase their productivity. Communicating with AI is supposed to be conversational, however. Learning an unconventional way to converse to get results seems counterproductive. Also, technology specialists are not known for people skills. In general, people are becoming less adept at socializing. So Conversation Engineers for humans are needed to safeguard the future of humanity.

        By the way, in this instance, AI is short for artificial intelligence and is always capitalized. Depending on the reader or type of font, AI might be confused with the abbreviation for the name Albert. An older abbreviation for artificial intelligence was spelled A.I., but those periods used two valuable character spaces – unacceptable for texting limits today. Also, look for context around AI so as not to mistake it as the abbreviation for Artificial Insemination, Adobe Illustrator, Amnesty International, Air India, or American Idol. Incidentally, Ai with a capital “A” and lowercase “i” is a rare synonym for the pale-throated sloth.

        The generative AI craze was unleashed upon the world around November 2022. I am writing this article in April 2023—newer versions of AI programs swiftly became available with exponentially expanded capabilities. Initially, many AI programs were free to the public. However, the free intro was misleading. The public provided lots of data to train the AI programs, and companies are now adding paywalls for service levels. This technology is advancing faster than the news can spread or be distorted on social media. Opinion articles seem cut and paste because everyone has the same questions about this technology regardless of whether the writer likes it. Uncertainty is the only common ground in the conversation about how generative AI will affect the workplace. 

        Prompt Engineers require training, and where they can get it is murky. Hiring people born into the AI age will differ from hiring people born into the digital age. The rush to employ Prompt Engineers is foolish, but I smell an opportunity for con artists. YouTube is a good barometer for the gathering storm of trash training. Videos promise “how to prompt” or “do this, not that” for AI. Similar articles flood every magazine, blog, or platform that can be monetized. Flotsam copycat content will follow and ironically be AI-generated. News articles report professors cramming AI exploratory-style assignments into their curriculum. But the speed at which generative AI advances upends user strategies with each update to its program. So, I suggest replacing pesky workers who don’t get the new technology with those who are adaptable and have people skills. As a result, the age of the hiring pool veers towards greater than over lesser than.

        The more things change, the more they stay the same. The notion that AI will free humanity from trivial labor resembles the story about the farm a beloved pet now lives on. The jobs people will do after they have been replaced have yet to be invented. As jobs are eliminated, economic compensation will be too late and after fierce resistance. Human nature is what binds all of us to any subject. Until human nature changes, we can expect the same results from the same actions regardless of what the kids call it today. For example, I experienced the derision of a younger professional when we were discussing a scenario and a solution. Despite the common descriptive language, I was obsolete because of my labeling. This kind of communication disconnect can threaten jobs when the power dynamic is skewed. Add superiority or inferiority complexes, gaslighting, deflection, competition, and blame to escalate workplace toxicity. Managerial, janitorial, and every job layer between have their occupational dysfunction story. Now AI is finding its niche in the building, but humans are training it to talk and are the voice of the AI. So, without Conversation Engineers to train people to deal with each other, humanity is doomed.