Are we raising prompt engineers - or future creators?

“AI is just like the microwave” – Stephen Marche, Author

When the microwave first hit the market, many believed it would revolutionize cooking to the point of making all other methods obsolete. It turns out we all missed the point. We forgot that the essence of cooking is irreplaceable: the joy of experimenting with ingredients, the conversations shared with families and friends over food preparation, and the satisfaction of creating something by hand. Today, the microwave still holds a place in the kitchen, but its role is far more modest than once predicted.

So, will AI follow a similar path? Will it settle into the background as a tool, or will it fundamentally reshape how our modern society operates?

@Toronto Tech Week, MaRS Mornings | Frontiers of AI (June 2025)

“Creativity involves processes and products. AI can accelerate the development of products but could undermine the creative process.” – David Usher, Reimagine AI

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how AI is transforming the way we learn. Teaching my son how to write has made this shift especially visible. When I was a child, writing started in the library. We spent weeks gathering books, reading deeply, piecing together arguments, and revising drafts with feedback from peers, teachers and families. Writing was a slow, iterative process. (For me, it still is — I always find something to improve.)

Today, students begin with a Google search, maybe a quick query to Perplexity or a glance at Wikipedia. Then, they consult various AI tools: to outline, to draft, to revise. Even if they write the content themselves, they often rely on AI for edits and feedback.

To be honest, it really saves lots of time, but what have they learned in this process? Are they learning how to write, or how to prompt AI to generate a good piece of work? Are they developing their own voice and critical thinking in this creative process? Do they get to develop their own taste and sense of a literature work?

“But there’s also the question of whether these things, when they get smarter than us, are going to need us.” – Geoffrey Hinton, University of Toronto & Vector Institute

One of the most thought-provoking moments came from Geoffrey Hinton — Nobel laureate, AI pioneer, and often called the “Godfather of AI”. In his keynote on Digital Intelligence vs. Biological Intelligence, he offered sobering thoughts about AI’s trajectory and the existential risks it may pose. Hinton drew a powerful parallel between the need to regulate AI and the need to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Just as unregulated emissions could worsen the impacts of climate change, unchecked AI development could lead to societal upheaval — or worse. It’s not just a technical issue; it’s a deeply human one.

Geoffrey Hinton, Nobel laureate in Physics, discussed about managing the risks of AI @Toronto Tech Week

During the panel discussion, Nick Frosst, co-founder of Cohere, pushed back on the idea that AI will replace 80% of human jobs — a figure often floated but still widely debated. Yet, it rings an alarm: AI is advancing faster than many anticipated, and we must not underestimate its potential.

Panel discussion @Toronto Tech Week: Geoffrey Hinton (UofT) and Nick Frost (Cohere)

We are already living through the transformation. The question is no longer whether to adopt AI — it’s how to integrate it responsibly, ethically, and inclusively. How do we prepare the next generation for both the opportunities and disruptions ahead?

It’s a conversation worth having — perhaps even over dinner with our kids this summer.

[First published in Substack "Ginci Insights" on June 27, 2025: https://gincinno.substack.com/p/are-we-raising-prompt-engineers-or?r=2cxt8s]