GitHub's Request for Prompt Tips Triggers Engineering Debate
The key takeaway is that "prompt engineering" has gone through ups and downs in perception, with many developers poking fun at it, but it still has value if done properly. GitHub's request for tips on prompt engineering sparked jokes about it not being real engineering, but also some legitimate guidance.
Summary
- GitHub asked developers for prompt engineering tips on social media, garnering mixed responses of jokes and actual advice
- Many comments poked fun at "prompt engineering" not being real engineering or even a real thing
- But some developers provided legitimate tips like being clear, using examples, experimenting with prompts, and more
- GitHub also provided tips from its developer advocates about setting the stage, making asks simple, giving examples to AI tools like Copilot
- There is still debate around best practices for prompt engineering and whether it deserves the "engineering" label
- Prompt engineering roles continue to exist, paying well, so interest in tips continues despite the jokes
- Our own VP of AI Becky Nagel also weighed in with a list of 12 prompt engineering tips for getting the most out of ChatGPT