When it comes to offering prompt engineering as a service, the experts are split between two distinct schools of thought. The first sees it as a deep, defensible craft that's here to stay, while the second sees it as a transitional skill that will fade as AI platforms get smarter.
Camp A: The Strategic Specialist
This camp argues that the real value in AI isn't just generating content, it's generating the right content. This requires a human strategist who can craft highly detailed, context-rich prompts. Pam Didner, speaking on the Up Arrow Podcast, is a strong proponent of this view. She makes it clear that to get meaningful results, you have to feed the AI specifics like target audience details, competitor insights, and brand goals. Generic inputs yield generic outputs, so the value isn't in knowing the syntax of a prompt, but in having the marketing acumen to provide the right information. Andy Crestodina, on the same show, takes this a step further. He recommends using AI not just to create things, but to find deficiencies in existing work, like asking it to analyze a product page for what's missing. This level of analysis requires a sophisticated understanding of both the business and the AI's capabilities. A service built on this philosophy isn't just about writing prompts; it's about providing outsourced strategic thinking, making it a high-value offering.
Camp B: The Transitional Technologist
This group believes that the need for complex 'prompt engineering' is a temporary phase. As AI models and their user interfaces evolve, they will require less specific instruction to deliver great results. The hosts of Future Commerce touch on this when discussing our 'positionless future,' where AI acts as a creative partner that learns and adapts at a rapid pace. In this vision, the tools become so intuitive that the emphasis shifts from the technical skill of crafting a perfect prompt to the creative or strategic vision of the user. Steve Chou on The My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast also lists Prompt Engineering as an 'easy AI side hustle,' which implies it’s accessible and something you can start today, but perhaps not a deep, long-term specialization like becoming a developer. The argument here is that the friction of using AI will decrease, and with it, the need for a dedicated engineer to mediate between the human and the machine for most common tasks.
I think the 'Strategic Specialists' have the stronger argument for anyone looking to build a business around this. While basic prompting might become as common as using a search engine, the ability to provide deep, strategic context will always be a rare and valuable skill. The 'engineering' part of the job may evolve away from wrestling with syntax and more toward building comprehensive 'briefings' for the AI. The value you provide isn't getting the AI to work, it's getting it to work in a way that is unique to a specific brand's voice, market position, and goals. That's a service with staying power.
So, what's the right move for you? If you want to build a specialized service, go deep. Follow the advice of Pam Didner and Andy Crestodina. Don't just be a prompt writer; be a strategic partner who uses AI to deliver insights and outputs no one else can. Specialize in a niche like AI for Amazon Sellers or AI In Marketing. But if you're a founder or marketer looking to leverage AI in your own work, focus on being a skilled user, not a guru. As Steve Chou mentions in a discussion on The eCommerceFuel Podcast, the goal is crafting effective AI prompts for your own business needs, not mastering the entire landscape. Understand the principles of providing good context, start small, and focus on how the tool can augment your existing strengths.