A few years ago, the "Prompt Engineer"—someone who knew the magic words to whisper to the AI—was the hottest role in tech. As AI models become smarter and better at following instructions, this specific skill is depreciating.
The Challenge: The gap between Data Analysts and Software Engineers.
Traditional Data Scientists build statistical models. Traditional Software Engineers build applications. But who builds the glue? Who decides when to automate and when to involve a human? Who designs the quality control process?
Recommendation: Hire for "AI Systems Thinking."
The defining role of this era is the AI Systems Architect. This is a professional who understands:
- Workflow Design: Chaining multiple automated steps and managing handoffs.
- Quality Assurance: Building automated tests to measure whether AI outputs are getting better or worse.
- Integration: Connecting AI to your existing business tools and databases.
Hire for architectural thinking, not just prompt crafting.