Why You Need to Get Serious About AI Prompting (Or Risk Getting Left Behind)

Hey LinkedIn,

Let’s get real—if you’re not using AI, or even worse if you’re working for a company that’s blocking AI adoption, you’re setting yourself up for a rude awakening.

AI isn’t just some trend; it’s the backbone of where business is heading. The more skilled you are at using it, especially when it comes to prompting, the more valuable you’ll be. And if your company won’t let you experiment with it, it might be time to either start learning on your own…or look for a company that’s leaning into the future.

This is the first of a four-part series I’ll be sharing every Sunday. Each post will give you practical steps to help you build the skills and strategies you need to stay ahead with AI, focusing specifically on prompting and strategy—the keys to making AI work for you.

Why Prompting is the Key to AI Success

Here’s the thing—AI is only as good as the instructions you give it. Knowing how to use AI effectively doesn’t mean you need a PhD in machine learning; it means you need to know how to “prompt” it the right way. Think of prompting as your AI superpower. The better you get at it, the more value you can extract from AI tools, whether it’s generating ideas, solving complex problems, or automating repetitive tasks.

But prompting is a skill. It’s more than just typing in a few questions or commands; it’s about structuring inputs that get you exactly the insights or actions you need. And as AI becomes more integral to business, those who master prompting will be miles ahead of those who don’t.

The ABLE Framework: Your Starting Point

If you’re new to AI prompting, you might be wondering where to start. That’s where the ABLE Framework comes in—a simple but powerful way to help you structure and scale AI in your work. Here’s how it breaks down:

1. Analyze: Figure out where AI can add value in your work. What problems are you trying to solve? What tasks could be automated?
2. Build: Start crafting prompts that deliver specific outcomes. This isn’t about being vague. The clearer and more detailed your prompt, the better the result.
3. Leverage: Take what you’ve built and make it reusable. Create a set of prompts that can be adapted for different projects or tasks. This is where “scalable prompting” comes into play—you’re not reinventing the wheel every time.
4. Execute: Apply these prompts consistently, measure results, and refine. AI is a tool that gets better the more you use it and adapt your prompts.

The ABLE Framework isn’t just for tech teams or AI experts; it’s for anyone who wants to make a real impact with AI. And in today’s world, that means pretty much everyone.

Why You Can’t Afford to Ignore This

Look, 77% of companies have listed AI as a top priority, but 87% say they’re struggling to find people with the right skills. This is a massive opportunity for those willing to put in the time to learn, especially when it comes to prompting. If your current role isn’t supporting that, then it’s time to take matters into your own hands.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Start Practicing Prompting: Platforms like ChatGPT and MidJourney are easy ways to practice crafting prompts and see what results you get. Experiment with different types of questions and commands, and refine them based on the responses. This is hands-on learning, and there’s no better way to improve.
2. Build a Prompt Library: Start keeping track of the prompts that work best for you. This will become a valuable resource as you scale your AI use. Plus, it’s something you can bring to future roles to show your understanding and capability with AI.
3. Stay Focused on Strategy: AI is powerful, but only if you’re using it with a strategy in mind. Think about how you can align your prompting skills with your company’s goals, or even your own personal career goals. AI isn’t just a tool; it’s a strategic advantage.

What’s Coming Up in This Series

Over the next few Sundays, I’ll dive deeper into each part of the ABLE Framework and how you can use it to develop serious AI skills, whether your company is on board or not.

• Week 2: Crafting Precise Prompts – The Secret to Powerful AI Outputs We’ll look at why the quality of your prompts directly impacts AI’s usefulness and how you can get better at crafting prompts that give you exactly what you need.
• Week 3: Scaling with a Prompting Framework – Make AI Work Across Your Team Learn how to take your best prompts and turn them into reusable tools that can be applied across projects, making AI scalable for you and your team.
• Week 4: Building AI Strategy In the final post, I’ll cover how to structure an AI strategy for your career or business. This isn’t just about “using” AI—it’s about using it effectively to stay ahead.

Final Thoughts: Take Control of Your Future

AI isn’t just going to reshape industries; it’s going to reshape careers. If your company isn’t on board, don’t wait around for them to catch up. Start building your AI and prompting skills now. The beauty of prompting is that anyone can do it—no coding required. All it takes is a little time, experimentation, and a willingness to learn.

So, let’s get started. Next week, we’re jumping into the nuts and bolts of crafting powerful prompts that unlock AI’s full potential. Until then, start practicing with some prompts and see what kind of insights or solutions you can generate. And if you have any questions, drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear how you’re getting started with AI!

Let’s make sure we’re all set for the future, one prompt at a time.

?