Prompting... for those with a technical background, I think of it as the modern version of pseudo code. And I'm convinced it's the emerging superpower that all of us across industries will need to master.
What Is Prompting and Why Does It Matter?
When I talk about prompting, I'm talking about the skill of communicating clearly with AI systems to get what you actually need from them. Ironically, help in writing a better prompt equates to ~25% of queries for Chat GPT and Claude (So they told me).
Think about that for a second, a quarter of AI conversations are really just people saying, "Help me figure out how to talk to you better." That's a massive hidden skill gap.
It's not just tech skills, it draws on your critical thinking, business knowledge, and creativity. It's way more than just asking AI to "do something." It's about knowing what to ask, how to frame it, and how to work with what you get back.
I'm seeing this in real time with clients. As more companies adopt AI, the real difference isn't just who has access to the tools, it's who knows how to use them properly. Teams that can prompt well get better results.
Prompting Is a Skill
To bring this to life I entered two different prompts into Leonardo.AI to generate the image for this post.
My basic prompt: "I need a clear and concise image that shows the importance of prompting as a skill for professionals. It is the next superpower. Image is for a LinkedIn post from our business JOURN3Y."
My effective prompt (much better results): "A modern, minimalist illustration featuring a laptop with a subtle JOURN3Y logo on the back lid, the logo is white with a purple 3 in place of the E and a neon blue and purple swoosh to the side. Set in a sleek, modern office on a desk. In the background, blurred, abstract representations of business-related icons, such as growth charts. Behind the desk, a superhero outfit hanging on a wall in the colours of Superman. In the background, have other offices visible through the window. Modern colours in the office in shades of blue and white, paying tribute to the LinkedIn platform. The entire scene has a soft, natural light. Keep the colours predominantly to blues, ranging from navy to sky blue, with accents of white, evoking a sense of trust, innovation, and expertise. The illustration style is digital, with clean lines, smooth textures, and bold shapes, conveying a modern, forward-thinking approach to the importance of prompting as a skill in the business world and AI as the Business Imperative."
Real-World Impact
I recently saw this firsthand while showing AI tools to a recruiter friend. Using just a few well-structured prompts, I built the framework for his business’s recruitment website in under five minutes. On my mobile phone.
The right prompts made all the difference.
How to Develop Prompting as a Skill
I've found that prompting is like writing or storytelling. The more you practice, the better you get. Based on what I've learned working with clients, here are the key elements that make prompts work well:
Specificity: Being crystal clear about parameters and expectations
Role/context: Giving the AI the right perspective to approach the problem
Tone and format: Being explicit about style and structure
Constraints and creativity: Setting useful boundaries that actually help, not hinder
I encourage my teams to think about versioning and "prompt stacks" — treating prompts like modular, evolving building blocks, just like we do with code or copy.
The Future is Instruction-Oriented
The longer I work in this space, the more I believe that as AI evolves, the way we instruct it becomes more important than the tool itself. It reminds me of early computing days, where thinking through the problem clearly was half the battle. Today's AI landscape will reward those who can clearly articulate what they need.
Whether you're a CEO, marketer, developer, or analyst, I think your ability to prompt effectively may soon be one of your most valuable professional skills.
Prompting might feel like a niche skill today, but so did anything with a computer once. In a world where AI is becoming part of every workflow, knowing how to guide it effectively will separate those who merely use it from those who transform with it.
At JOURN3Y, we're helping organisations navigate this transition. Our JOURN3Y Blueprint transforms business strategy into AI-powered action with executable technology roadmaps. If you're exploring ways to embed AI capabilities effectively across your workforce, drop me a message - I'd love to chat about it.