Introduction
Back in 2023, “prompt engineering” was a hot topic. People were racing to master the art of talking to AI like ChatGPT. From crafting perfect personas to writing step-by-step instructions, prompt engineering looked like a brand-new skill set — even a career path.
But in 2025, things feel different. Some claim, “Prompt engineering is dead.”
Is that true? Or has it simply changed form?
What Was Prompt Engineering?
Prompt engineering was all about crafting inputs — prompts — that guide AI models to give better responses. It often included:
- Persona setting: “Act like a senior data analyst.”
- Step-back prompting: Asking meta-questions to clarify a problem before solving it.
- Few-shot prompting: Giving examples to show the desired style or format.
In short, it felt like programming in natural language.
My Journey with Prompt Engineering
I was deep into it too. I read books, learned frameworks, and tried out tons of techniques. One that stood out to me was the step-back prompt: instead of asking for a final answer right away, I would guide ChatGPT to break down the problem first.
For example, I once asked it to estimate the number of cake shops in Tokyo.
But instead of going straight to the number, I prompted it step by step:
“How many people live in Tokyo?”
“How often do people buy cakes?”
“How many customers can a shop handle per day?”
GPT walked through each question logically, and its final estimate was surprisingly close to real-world data. It felt like solving a puzzle — and winning.
Another time, I gave it a vague prompt, and it replied with:
“Before I answer, may I ask: what kind of users are you targeting?”
That was a turning point. GPT had grown so smart that it started asking me the clarifying questions. It was no longer just following instructions — it was collaborating.
So… Is Prompt Engineering Dead?
It might seem like that, especially since modern GPT models often give excellent answers even with minimal prompting. Many of the tricks that used to matter — clever wording, role-play, or prompt chaining — now feel unnecessary for casual use.
But here’s the truth: prompt engineering isn’t dead — it has evolved.
It Didn’t Disappear — It Moved Upstream
Today, prompt engineering is less about crafting the perfect sentence and more about designing how AI fits into a larger system or workflow.
It’s no longer just about typing good questions. Instead, it’s about:
- When and how the AI is used
- What context it needs to function properly
- How to integrate tools or external data sources
- What kind of user-AI interactions should happen, and in what order
You’re not just using AI — you’re deciding when, why, and how people should interact with it.
Think of it like this:
Instead of writing a single prompt, you’re now planning an entire conversation between a user and the AI. You’re designing the flow, the logic, the timing, and the context — step by step.
It’s more like UX design for AI-powered systems than simply writing questions.
Conclusion
Prompt engineering hasn’t died — it has leveled up.
The basic prompting tricks may have faded in importance as AI models got smarter. But the challenge now lies in designing intelligent AI systems that solve real problems, work reliably with humans, and adapt to changing needs.
That requires not just good prompts, but good design thinking.
So if you feel like prompt engineering is disappearing, look again — it might just be waiting for you upstream.
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