Why Software Engineers Will Be Prompt Engineers?
The future of software engineering is evolving, and AI is at the center of this change. The role of the software engineer is not what it used to be, and soon, software engineers will evolve into prompt engineers. Why? Because the tools are changing and businesses are desiring (and perhaps demanding in some cases) more efficiency. In this article, I give three reasons why Software Engineers will become prompt engineers.
Good Prompts Are Based on Understanding
Prompt engineering isn’t just about throwing words at an AI tool and hoping it spits out something useful. Good prompts are grounded in a solid understanding of the problem at hand.
It’s all about understanding
Writing an effective prompt requires you to fully understand the problem, the concept, or the technique you’re working with. A well-crafted prompt can be just as effective as building a solution from scratch. For example, when I was tinkering with Supabase’s SQL editor to create a trigger function, I needed to make sure I understood the fundamental components of a trigger function. Had I not had this understanding, my prompt might had rendered a useless solution.
Prompt engineering in interviews
As prompt engineering becomes more mainstream, we may even see it become part of the hiring process. Instead of asking candidates to build entire projects from scratch, companies might test their understanding through effective prompts. Understanding how to guide AI will soon be just as important as understanding how to write code. And that shift might change how software engineers are evaluated in interviews.
Everyday Tools Are Implementing AI Editors
It’s no secret that AI is being integrated into the tools developers use every day. These tools are getting smarter, and they’re making the development process faster and easier, pushing prompt engineering to the forefront.
Tools like Cursor AI and Supabase’s SQL Editor are leading the charge
These tools streamline code completion, debugging, and even database object generation. They’re designed to take the heavy lifting out of the development process and give developers more time to focus on higher-level tasks.
When tools like these are widely used by the development community, it’s a clear sign that things are shifting. What was once a niche skill is now becoming a standard practice in software engineering. As more tools adopt AI features, developers will naturally gravitate toward mastering prompt engineering.
It Makes Business Sense
Businesses run on efficiency, and nothing drives efficiency like AI. The adoption of prompt engineering isn’t just a trend—it’s a smart business move.
The efficiency drives profits
The goal of any business is to be profitable, and one of the most effective ways to increase profitability is through efficiency. Prompt engineering allows developers to complete tasks in half the time, reducing costs and increasing output. Businesses are going to expect, if not demand, their engineers to integrate prompt engineering into their workflow because it gets results.
Faster results mean more value
When engineers can use AI to cut development time in half, they add tremendous value to the company. More can be accomplished in less time, and the business benefits by getting products to market faster, reducing development costs, and boosting overall profitability. In short, prompt engineering isn't just a skill—it’s a business strategy.
Conclusion
Software engineering is evolving into prompt engineering. Everyday tools like Cursor and ChatGPT are making prompt engineering an essential skill. The future of software engineering isn’t just about writing code anymore—it’s about knowing how to ask AI to do it for you.