Key skills required for this role are communication, and organisational and data skills.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has risen from a topic relegated to tech employees to a focus of company leaders. A majority of devices today use AI technology in one form or another. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), 85 million jobs would be lost to AI worldwide by 2025. But there are other fields that are opening up with appealing salaries. Prompt Engineering is one just job that offers salaries of up to $335,000 (approximately Rs 2.77 crore) a year. Interestingly, this role doesn't necessarily demand a computer engineering degree or advanced coding skills, according to Time Magazine. The key responsibility of prompt engineers is to enhance the capabilities of emerging AI tools, ensuring they deliver more precise and relevant responses to user queries.
Prompt engineers excel in empowering the latest generation of generative AI applications, such as ChatGPT and Google Bard, to meet specific objectives. This surge in AI-related employment is driven by companies seeking prompt engineers to train and optimise AI tools, particularly large language models that may not consistently generate accurate or relevant outcomes.
LinkedIn data reveals a remarkable increase in references to "generative AI" and a 51 per cent rise in job postings featuring "GPT" between 2021 and 2022, according to the Time report. Interestingly, these job opportunities are not restricted to individuals with a background in computer science or technology; various companies across diverse industries are actively recruiting for these positions.
According to Forbes, a Google-backed AI startup is advertising salaries of up to $335,000 (Rs 2.77 crore) for a "Prompt Engineer and Librarian" position in San Francisco. The job listing emphasises the need for applicants with a creative problem-solving mindset. Another example is Klarity, an automated document reviewer, offering a salary of $230,000 (approximately Rs 1.90 crore) for a machine learning engineer skilled in prompting AI tools to produce optimal outputs.
Digital advertising agencies, software development firms, healthcare providers, and utility companies are actively hiring prompt engineers. Rehab, a London-based digital agency, seeks prompt engineers to prototype new LLM technology applications and maintain expertise in the field. Similarly, Boston Children's Hospital in Massachusetts is looking to hire prompt engineers to leverage large language models for healthcare research and clinical practice.
If you aspire to become a prompt engineer, you can start with an online course costing at $150 (around 12,446 rupees), with additional costs for custom training and course certification going up to $3,970 (approximately Rs 3 lakh).
Udemy offers courses in generative AI prompt engineering, focusing on mastering ChatGPT and using Midjourney for creating AI-generated images. Additionally, the "Next-Level Prompt Engineering with AI" online course equips students with the skills to craft effectivae prompts, giving them a competitive edge in automating tasks using AI.
The key skills required for this role are communication, and organisational and data skills.
Communication skills: Prompt engineers must effectively convey their instructions to AI, much like instructing human workers or training them.
Organizational skills: Strong organisational abilities are essential, as prompt engineers need to systematically identify and guide AI through various elements of a task.
Data skills: Proficiency in handling data is crucial to determine the information AI requires, where to source it, and in what format it should be presented for effective processing.