"Prompt Engineering" Is No Longer A Job, But A Skill

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Just two years ago, prompt engineering was the talk of the tech world - a seemingly essential new job born from the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. Companies were eager to hire specialists who could craft the right questions for large language models, ensuring optimal AI performance. The role was accessible, required little technical background, and was seen as a promising entry point into a booming industry.

Today, however, prompt engineering as a standalone role has all but disappeared. What was once a highly touted skill set is now simply expected of anyone working with AI. In an ironic twist, some companies are even using AI to generate prompts for their own AI systems, further diminishing the need for human prompt engineers.

The brief rise and rapid fall of prompt engineering highlights a broader truth about the AI job market: new roles can vanish as quickly as they appear. "AI is already eating its own," says Malcolm Frank, CEO of TalentGenius, in an interview with Fast Company.

"Prompt engineering has become something that's embedded in almost every role, and people know how to do it. Also, now AI can help you write the perfect prompts that you need. It's turned from a job into a task very, very quickly."

The initial appeal of prompt engineering was its low barrier to entry. Unlike many tech roles, it didn't require years of specialized education or coding experience, making it especially attractive to job seekers hoping to break into AI. In 2023, LinkedIn profiles were filled with self-described prompt engineers, and the North American market for prompt engineering was valued at $75.5 million, growing at a rate of 32.8 percent annually.

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