# Rethinking AI Interaction Beyond Prompt Engineering By:: [[Brian Heath]] 2025-01-22 There is a lot of chatter about crafting the perfect prompts to coax optimal outcomes from AI models and agents. It's a deep rabbit hole that can consume a significant amount of time. The catch is, these AI models are constantly evolving and improving. By the time one perfects a prompt for a particular version, that model may become obsolete, rendering the prompt ineffective. This can be immensely frustrating and highlights a fundamental flaw in the concept of "prompt engineering." Those who focus on engineering prompts often do so within the confines of software engineering and coding paradigms. Here, the emphasis is on a structured and logical breakdown of requirements to generate the correct result from an AI model. While this approach has its merits, it doesn't mirror how one would instruct a person to perform a complex task. Some might argue, "Well, since the AI model is a computer program, instructions should align with programming logic—speaking to it like it's human makes no sense." However, this mindset misses the point. These AI models are designed to emulate human behavior, complete with all its quirks and unpredictability. Just as one wouldn't program a human being, one shouldn't think of programming an AI model when making requests. Instead, describe the situation and ask as you would ask another person. What does this entail? It means clearly defining your request and providing all necessary context. Although this sounds simple, most people struggle with it. Consider all the meetings and emails required in modern organizations just to get projects moving. If individuals could articulate their needs clearly from the start, we'd make much more progress. The issue is that many people fail to think deeply about their needs, potential pitfalls, and structures involved. Consequently, they create vague and unclear requests. If you're receiving poor responses from an AI model today, it's not because the model is inadequate—it's because your ability to think critically and articulate effectively needs improvement. Forget about prompt engineering; focus instead on thoughtful reflection and articulation. Use an AI model as a sparring partner to help clarify your thoughts. Once you understand what you truly need, you're better equipped to craft the perfect prompt—if one is even necessary at all. Often enough, you'll find that once you've thought things through properly, the problem may not exist in the first place #### Related Items [[Artificial Intelligence]] [[Thinking]] [[Communication]] [[Paradigms]] [[Reflection]] [[Problem Solving]]