How to Master AI Prompt Engineering

Artificial intelligence is a cutting edge genre of software that has quickly become a tool we rely on for much of our daily lives. However, as important as the software is to our success, as important is how we operate it and learning to maximize its effectiveness. In order to do this, users must master the art and science of prompt engineering. Prompt engineering is the process of structuring an instruction that a generative AI model can then easily interpret and follow. This process helps to yield the most helpful results for the task at hand. Currently, over 80% of IT professionals think that they have what it takes to use AI properly. However, only 12% actually have the skills to perform prompt engineering effectively. This alone demonstrates the need for fine-tuning these skills.

The Rise of AI Prompt Engineering

In the hiring landscape, as many as 2 in 3 leaders admit that they will not hire candidates without AI skills, and as many as 70% of global workers are in need of upgrading their skills. Studies have also shown that 60% of IT decision makers say that AI constitutes their biggest skill gaps. Although many professionals know the basics of AI, most lack the in-depth knowledge required to advance in their careers.

For example, most desk workers do not know how to effectively use generative AI at work, how to get the most value from generative AI models, or how to leverage trusted data sources in a safe and secure way. This lack in skill has resulted in a 50% hiring gap between AI jobs and AI roles, emphasizing the importance of AI literacy in the workplace. Fortunately, there are several avenues one can take to master prompt engineering, with several methods to choose from.

AI prompt engineering teaches users how to think. There are several ways that one can successfully structure a prompt to maximize results. For general AI models, chain-of-thought, generated knowledge prompting, and least to most prompting are amongst the most effective. However, when using images and video, the options expand to negative prompting, textual inversion, and prompt injection. Although these processes may seem complicated, there are many programs now available for those looking to upskill, reskill, or cross-skill in the AI space. These online, skill-based certificates are tailored to the most practical and in-demand professions. There are also several different unique tracks and avenues of learning that professionals can take to build their own foundation in generative AI prompting.

Conclusion

Research has shown that nearly 75% of IT leaders believe that AI skill gaps must be urgently addressed. It is now clearer than ever that learning new artificial intelligence skills will be vital to the growth and success of the software; Companies offering these training courses are already paving the way. Whether one has a strong foundation in AI use or is just starting out in their journey of using these platforms, there is a place for everyone to learn. Becoming comfortable with the technology of the future is just the start of a bright future for our most advanced technological sidekicks. 

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Trump Asks SCOTUS to Delay TickTok Ban

President-elect Donald Trump has apparently reversed course on TikTok, asking the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) to delay enforcing a ban so he can “negotiate a resolution.”

The US passed legislation giving parent company ByteDance until January 19 to sell the app’s US business to an American company or be banned. The ban was passed over concerns regarding national security, as ByteDance and TikTok are Chinese companies. As such, the companies are required to cooperate with Beijing’s espionage efforts. In addition to ties to Beijing, ByteDance and TikTok have been involved in one privacy scandal after another, showing little to nor regard for user privacy.

Calls for a ban first began during Trump’s first administration. While those attempts were unsuccessful, the Biden administration succeeded in passing the ban. TikTok has appealed, but U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the ban, shooting down the company’s argument that the ban infringes free speech.

Trump’s Appeal

In the midst of TikTok appealing to SCOTUS, Trump has filed a motion asking the court to hold off on a ruling. In the ruling, Trump’s attorneys argue that the President-elect has a First Amendment concern with the case.

Amicus curiae President Donald J. Trump (“President Trump”) is the 45th and soon to be the 47th President of the United States of America. On January 20, 2025, President Trump will assume responsibility for the United States’ national security, foreign policy, and other vital executive functions. This case presents an unprecedented, novel, and difficult tension between free-speech rights on one side, and foreign policy and national-security concerns on the other. As the incoming Chief Executive, President Trump has a particularly powerful interest in and responsibility for those national-security and foreign-policy questions, and he is the right constitutional actor to resolve the dispute through political means.

President Trump also has a unique interest in the First Amendment issues raised in this case. Through his historic victory on November 5, 2024, President Trump received a powerful electoral mandate from American voters to protect the free-speech rights of all Americans—including the 170 million Americans who use TikTok. President Trump is uniquely situated to vindicate these interests, because “the President and the Vice President of the United States are the only elected officials who represent all the voters in the Nation.” Anderson v. Celebrezze, 460 U.S. 780, 795 (1983).

Moreover, President Trump is one of the most powerful, prolific, and influential users of social media in history. Consistent with his commanding presence in this area, President Trump currently has 14.7 million followers on TikTok with whom he actively communicates, allowing him to evaluate TikTok’s importance as a unique medium for freedom of expression, including core political speech. Indeed, President Trump and his rival both used TikTok to connect with voters during the recent Presidential election campaign, with President Trump doing so much more effectively. As this Court instructs, the First Amendment’s “constitutional guarantee has its fullest and most urgent application precisely to the conduct of campaigns for political office.” Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus, 573 U.S. 149, 162 (2014) (quoting Monitor Patriot Co. v. Roy, 401 U.S. 265, 272 (1971)).

The brief goes on to tout Trump’s experience as founder of Truth Social—while also overstating its success as “resoundingly successful”—as something that gives him perspective on the case.

Further, President Trump is the founder of another resoundingly successful social-media platform, Truth Social. This gives him an in-depth perspective on the extraordinary government power attempted to be exercised in this case—the power of the federal government to effectively shut down a social-media platform favored by tens of millions of Americans, based in large part on concerns about disfavored content on that platform. President Trump is keenly aware of the historic dangers presented by such a precedent. For example, shortly after the Act was passed, Brazil banned the social-media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) for more than a month, based in large part on that government’s disfavor of political speech on X. See, e.g., Brazil’s Supreme Court Lifts Ban on Social Media Site X, CBS N EWS (Oct. 8, 2024).

The brief claims that—out of all the countless officials, lawyers, judges, and politicians who have tackled the issue—Trump alone the necessary skills to get the job done.

In light of these interests—including, most importantly, his overarching responsibility for the United States’ national security and foreign policy— President Trump opposes banning TikTok in the United States at this juncture, and seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office. On September 4, 2024, President Trump posted on Truth Social, “FOR ALL THOSE THAT WANT TO SAVE TIK TOK IN AMERICA, VOTE TRUMP!”

Furthermore, President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the Government—concerns which President Trump himself has acknowledged. See, e.g., Executive Order No. 13942, Addressing the Threat Posed by TikTok, 85 Fed. Reg. 48637, 48637 (Aug. 6, 2020); Regarding the Acquisition of Musical.ly by ByteDance Ltd., 85 Fed. Reg. 51297, 51297 (Aug. 14, 2020). Indeed, President Trump’s first Term was highlighted by a series of policy triumphs achieved through historic deals, and he has a great prospect of success in this latest national security and foreign policy endeavor.

The First Amendment Question

It is somewhat interesting that Trump’s brief focuses on the First Amendment issue, since this was specifically addressed by the Court of Appeals.

The judges said the law banning TikTok was “carefully crafted to deal with only control by a foreign adversary,” and therefore the First Amendment wasn’t an issue.

“The government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States,” the judges continued.

It seems unlikely that SCOTUS will reverse the lower Court’s decision, unless it does so in response to Trump’s request. The issue, however, is that there is no legal basis for the Court to delay a law.

“The fact that the law goes into effect the day before Trump is inaugurated is just too bad for Trump, but a future president cannot ask a court to delay a law,” Alan Rozenshtein, a former DOJ official who now teaches at the University of Minnesota Law School, told Politico. He added that SCOTUS “does not have the authority to pause a law that was written by Congress and enacted” unless it tackles the question of its constitutionality.

When taken together, unless SCOTUS is willing to strike the law down altogether, it seems TikTok’s fate is likely sealed.

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Employer.com Acquires Bench Accounting

Employer.com has acquired Bench Accounting, providing a much needed lifeline to Bench customers after the accounting startup shut down on December 27, 2024.

As reported by TechCrunch, Bench posted a notice on its website last week saying that it was shutting down.

“We regret to inform you that as of December 27, 2024, the Bench platform will no longer be accessible,” the notice reads. “We know this news is abrupt and may cause disruption, so we’re committed to helping Bench customers navigate through the transition.”

With a self-proclaimed 35,000 US customers alone, the sudden shutdown left countless users in a lurch, with their preferred software-as-a-service (SaaS) accounting package no longer available.

Fortunately, Employer.com has worked out a deal to acquire Bench, giving users an option moving forward.

This acquisition reflects Employer.com’s commitment to expanding its portfolio of services and enhancing the value delivered to small business owners. Despite recent headlines concerning Bench’s decision to suspend operations on December 28, we are pleased to reassure Bench customers that Employer.com has been working diligently behind the scenes to ensure a seamless transition.

This acquisition ensures that Bench customers can continue relying on the same high-quality service they’ve always received, while also opening the door to future enhancements and capabilities powered by Employer.com’s extensive resources. Employer.com is committed to empowering small businesses with the tools and support they need to thrive, and Bench’s expertise in financial management aligns perfectly with that mission.

Employer.com and Bench executives touted the deal as the best possible outcome.

“Bench has always been a trusted partner to small businesses, and we are excited to build on that legacy,” said Jesse Tinsley, CEO of Employer.com. “While the challenges Bench recently faced were unexpected, we recognized an extraordinary opportunity to integrate their capabilities into our own suite of solutions. By combining forces, we can create even more value for Bench’s loyal customers while extending the reach and impact of Employer.com’s offerings.”

“At Bench, our customers and team have always been at the heart of everything we do. We’re so pleased to have found a great home for many of them with Employer.com—a partner we trust to deliver the care and continuity our customers deserve,” said Jennifer Bouyoukos, Chief People Officer at Bench Accounting. “This transition reflects our unwavering focus on creating the best possible outcomes for everyone involved.”

Employer.com Makes the Case for Its Trustworthiness

Needless to say, the acquisition is a risky one for Employer.com, as the company immediately has to overcome any and all ill will Bench users feel about the sudden shutdown and convince them not to abandon the platform for competing options.

Based on the company’s statements, Employer.com is wasting no time trying to reassure users.

Employer.com has a proven track record of delivering scalable, reliable, and innovative solutions. With Bench’s technology and expertise now part of its platform, Employer.com offers an unparalleled combination of services tailored to the needs of growing businesses. Customers can trust Employer.com not only to maintain continuity but also to elevate their operational capabilities, enabling them to focus on their core business goals.

“This acquisition is more than a transaction; it’s a partnership with the Bench community and a promise to our customers,” added Tinsley. “We’re excited to bring together the best of both worlds to create a powerful, integrated solution that redefines how businesses manage their workforce and finances.”

“Employer.com’s strategic acquisition underscores its confidence in the future of Bench, its team, and its customers. Together, we look forward to delivering even greater value, innovation, and support to small businesses in North America and beyond,” added Tinsley.

The Bigger Issue With SaaS

There has been a growing backlash against SaaS in recent years, as companies and organizations tire of paying high monthly fees to access critical software. In fact, Basecamp maker 37signals—one of the companies that popularized SaaS—is now focusing on ushering in the “post-SaaS era.”

The company explained its reasons when it launched its new Once.com:

Today, most software is a service. Not owned, but rented. Buying it enters you into a perpetual landlord–tenant agreement. Every month you pay for essentially the same thing you had last month. And if you stop paying, the software stops working. Boom, you’re evicted.

For nearly two decades, the SaaS model benefitted landlords handsomely. With routine prayers — and payers — to the Church of Recurring Revenue, valuations shot to the moon on the backs of businesses subscribed at luxury prices for commodity services they had little control over.

Add up your SaaS subscriptions last year. You should own that shit by now.

The company has since went on to say that it is now saving $10 million over the next five years as a result of its decision to migrate away from the cloud and SaaS.

While cost is certainly a major disadvantage of SaaS, the Bench ordeal illustrates and even bigger issue: An organization’s software and data can disappear overnight if the company providing the software shuts down.

In contrast, using a locally-installed application offers a measure of security. Even if the company that makes it goes under or shuts down, that doesn’t mean the application itself stops working. In fact, the software world is full of examples of discontinued software being used for years after it was discontinued. In addition, more often than not, another application will often appear that provides a way to import data from the discontinued app.

Conclusion

Ultimately, cases like Bench Accounting provide some of the biggest arguments for locally-installed software over SaaS. Companies and organizations that rely on mission-critical applications would do well to use locally-installed options, to ensure the maximum level of continuity.

If a company needs or insists on using SaaS options, it should use products and platforms from well-established companies, rather than relying on a startup with an unproven track record.

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Elon Musk Wants to Put the Genie Back In the Bottle, Asks X Users to Be Nice

X (formerly Twitter) owner Elon Musk apparently wants to wind back the clock, returning the platform to what it was before he bought: a place for people to be nicer to each other.

To be clear, Twitter always had an issue with people being nice, something the entire social media industry grapple with. Nonetheless, since Musk purchased the platform, many users and groups have complained of an increase in hate speech, misinformation, and a general decline in quality content.

Musk appears to have finally taken notice, asking users to be nicer and post more positive content.

Please post a bit more positive, beautiful or informative content on this platform

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 29, 2024

Musk’s plea is ironic, given that he has repeatedly posted misinformation, as well as attacked those who disagree with him. Perhaps, just perhaps, Elon Musk should lead by example.

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‘Godfather of AI’ Backs Lawsuit to Prevent OpenAI’s For-Profit Transition

The “Godfather of AI,” Geoffrey Hinton, has thrown his weight behind Elon Musk’s legal challenge to OpenAI’s plans to transition to a for-profit.

OpenAI announced plans to transition to a for-profit, even securing billions in additional funding on the condition that it could make the transition within two years. Unfortunately for the company, Musk has filed a lawsuit challenging the decision, as well as filed an injunction to prevent the company form moving forward until the court can make a final decision.

Musk is one of the individuals who co-founded OpenAI, making sizable cash contributions to help the company get off the ground. OpenAI was originally founded with the goal of developing AI safely, a goal the company has increasingly been accused of abandoning.

In a statement via youth-led organization Encode, Hinton said the following:

“OpenAI was founded as an explicitly safety-focused non-profit and made a variety of safety related promises in its charter. It received numerous tax and other benefits from its non-profit status. Allowing it to tear all of that up when it becomes inconvenient sends a very bad message to other actors in the ecosystem.”

Encode is also supporting Musk’s lawsuit, saying OpenAI should have to honor the terms under which it was founded.

“The public has a profound interest in ensuring that transformative artificial intelligence is controlled by an organization that is legally bound to prioritize safety over profits,” said Nathan Calvin, Encode’s Vice President of State Affairs and General Counsel. “OpenAI was founded as a non-profit in order to protect that commitment, and the public interest requires they keep their word.”

Concerns Over OpenAI Leadership Emerged Early On

While OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman have recently been accused of abandoning their original goal of safe AI development, documents released by OpenAI themselves demonstrate that some co-founders had those concerns early on—especially regarding Altman.

Emails between the co-founders in late 2017—shortly before Musk left the company—show that Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman were concerned about Altman’s judgment and where his judgment might lead the company.

Sam:

When Greg and I are stuck, you’ve always had an answer that turned out to be deep and correct. You’ve been thinking about the ways forward on this problem extremely deeply and thoroughly. Greg and I understand technical execution, but we don’t know how structure decisions will play out over the next month, year, or five years.

But we haven’t been able to fully trust your judgments throughout this process, because we don’t understand your cost function.

• We don’t understand why the CEO title is so important to you. Your stated reasons have changed, and it’s hard to really understand what’s driving it.
• Is AGI truly your primary motivation? How does it connect to your political goals? How has your thought process changed over time?

Interestingly, Sutskever was one of the leaders of the boardroom coup that saw Altman ousted from the company in late 2023. Hinton later expressed that he was proud of Sutskever, who was a former student of his, for firing Altman.

“I’d also like to acknowledge my students,” Hinton says in a video. “I was particularly fortunate to have many very clever students, much clever than me, who actually made things work. They’ve gone on to do great things.

“I’m particularly proud of the fact that one of my students fired Sam Altman, and I think I better leave it there and leave it for questions.”

Hinton went on to say talk about how OpenAI had strayed from its original goal, thanks largely to Altman’s leadership.

“So OpenAI was set up with a big emphasis on safety,” he continues. “Its primary objective was to develop artificial general intelligence and ensure that it was safe.

“One of my former students Ilya Sutskever, was the chief scientist. And over time, it turned out that Sam Altman was much less concerned with safety than with profits. And I think that’s unfortunate.”

OpenAI Has Lost Top Talent Over Safety Concerns

OpenAI’s growing reputation for prioritizing profits over its original goal of safety has cost the company some of its top talent.

Multiple top executives, engineers, and researchers, including Sutskever, Jan Leiki, Mira Murati, Jeffrey Wu, and Gretchen Kreuger, have left the company. Several have written scathing denunciations of OpenAI’s approach, while others have warned that no one—including OpenAI—is ready for what is coming, in terms of AI development.

Ultimately, OpenAI is increasingly alienating itself and generating concern both inside and outside the company. Only time will tell if Musk’s lawsuit to force the company to stay true to its original goals will be successful but, in the meantime, it is certainly gaining major backing.

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