Prompt formulation is fast emerging as the defining skill of the AI era, and with this technology becoming more common in schools worldwide, the conversation has shifted from fear to fluency, says a professor in educational neuroscience.
Professor Ken Purnell, a professor in educational neuroscience at CQUniversity, says the key to unlocking AI’s full potential lies not in fear or fascination – but in learning to ask the right questions.
“AI isn’t magic – it’s a tool. The real power lies with people who can prompt it effectively,” Professor Purnell said in a media release published by CQUniversity.
“Today’s young people already understand this. They’ve grown up with chatbots and virtual assistants, and they intuitively know that AI responds best when it’s guided clearly and precisely.”
Professor Purnell says this growing awareness has given rise to a new form of digital literacy: prompt theory – a hybrid of creativity and technical skill which allows users to interact with AI in increasingly sophisticated ways.
“Being an expert prompter is becoming the new literacy,” Professor Purnell said. “It’s not about teaching machines to think like humans. It’s about teaching humans to think clearly enough to communicate with machines.”
Professor Purnell pointed to a recent Wall Street Journal article, which noted that while early AI users often attributed human traits to chatbots, digital natives are shedding the myth of machine consciousness.
Instead, they understand that large language models are essentially advanced pattern recognisers – not minds, but mirrors reflecting our input.
Professor Purnell said industries are already adapting.
“Even Hollywood, which once feared AI might replace creativity, is now using it to enhance storytelling and production. The conversation has shifted from fear to fluency.”
Professor Purnell believes that developing prompt literacy in schools, workplaces and the wider community will be crucial to ensuring Australians can confidently navigate and shape their AI-driven futures.
“Prompting is a teachable, learnable skill. And it’s empowering – because once you master it, AI becomes less of a mystery and more of an amplifier for your own thinking.”