The new study by Nils Knoth, Antonia Tolzin, Andreas Janson, Jan Marco Leimeister, which has just been published in the journal "Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence", looks at the increasing importance of prompt engineering in the era of artificial intelligence (AI). Entitled "AI Literacy and its Implications for Prompt Engineering Strategies", the study investigated how well non-experts, particularly students, are able to use prompt engineering skills effectively.

Key research findings:

• High prompt engineering skills correlate directly with the quality of Large Language Models (LLMs) results in a learning task
• Prompt engineering is therefore seen as a crucial skill for the targeted use of LLMs.
• In addition, the study shows that improving AI literacy can significantly contribute to increasing the effectiveness of creating these prompts.
• Therefore, AI literacy should be integrated into curricula to promote a hybrid intelligent society in which students can skillfully use and navigate generative AI tools such as ChatGPT.

The research findings not only offer insights into the importance of prompt engineering, but also underline the growing relevance of AI in educational contexts. By bridging the gap between theory and practice, this study makes an important contribution to the further development of understanding and skills in dealing with AI.

The full study is available free of charge and can be viewed at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100225

Nils Knoth, Antonia Tolzin, Andreas Janson, Jan Marco Leimeister (2024). AI literacy and its implications for prompt engineering strategies. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 6, doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2024.100225