Prompting LLMs is not engineering

10 months ago

Prompt engineering is criticized as an attempt to reverse-engineer non-deterministic AI models without knowledge of key parameters like training sets, weights, or constraints.
Claims about prompt effectiveness often lack evidence and can be compared to homeopathy, disappearing under scrutiny.
Specific prompts may work but require significant human effort, with benefits limited to narrow problem classes.
Recent advancements in models like OpenAI o3 and Google Gemini 2 Pro have led to new, unproven prompt 'engineering' techniques.
Prompt engineering is likened to shamanic rituals, relying on faith rather than engineering principles.

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