What is a Prompt Engineer and Why They May Be More Valuable Than You Think
Artificial Intelligence is revolutionising how modern businesses operate. One of the most overlooked but powerful roles in this transformation is the Prompt Engineer. This relatively new profession is emerging as a vital piece of the puzzle in unlocking the full potential of AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Midjourney, and DALL·E.
For startups, creative agencies, consultants, and even traditional small businesses, hiring a freelance prompt engineer can generate outsized results at a fraction of the time and cost it would take with conventional approaches.
In this article, we will explore the deeper skills involved in prompt engineering, how it compares to other creative roles in value, and what kind of real-world problems these professionals can solve.
What Does a Prompt Engineer Actually Do?
Prompt engineers are not simply typing into a chatbot. They are problem-solvers, strategists, and system designers who understand how to communicate with artificial intelligence using natural language.
A good prompt engineer brings a mix of technical intuition, creative thinking, critical analysis, and business awareness. Their tasks may include:
Crafting highly specific instructions to generate content, solve problems, or automate workflows
Structuring multi-step prompts that produce complex or layered outputs
Testing and refining prompt variations to improve accuracy and consistency
Aligning AI responses with brand tone, business goals, or user expectations
Working alongside teams to integrate AI into customer service, marketing, HR, or sales processes
Building semi-automated systems powered by AI to reduce time spent on repetitive tasks
Unlike copywriters, designers, or developers who execute tasks directly, prompt engineers instruct AI to perform those tasks intelligently, often at scale.
How Does Prompt Engineering Compare to Other Freelance Roles?
To appreciate the value of a prompt engineer, consider how they compare to more familiar roles. Take the example of a graphic designer and a prompt engineer:
Role Average Hourly Rate Output Speed Volume per Day Revisions Needed Cost to Business Freelance Graphic Designer £35–£50 1–2 designs per hour 6–10 Usually 1–3 rounds £300+ per small project Freelance Prompt Engineer (Midjourney expert) £50–£70 10–30 images per hour 50+ with variations Often zero £100–£200 for complete asset library
With the right AI tools, a prompt engineer can produce a batch of professional-quality image concepts in less time and at higher volume. The same applies for content creation, data formatting, chatbot flows, and internal documentation.
This is not to say one role replaces the other. Rather, a prompt engineer acts as a force multiplier, allowing designers, writers, marketers, and developers to work faster, smarter, and more effectively.
Three Hypothetical Case Studies
To help you visualise where a freelance prompt engineer can add real value, here are three practical examples:
1. E-Commerce Product Launch (Visuals and Descriptions)
Business: A fashion start-up preparing to launch 150 new products online
Problem: No budget for in-house copywriters and designers, tight launch deadline
Solution: The business hires a freelance prompt engineer for two days
Prompt Engineer Tasks:
Uses ChatGPT to write SEO-optimised product descriptions based on raw data
Uses Midjourney to generate product mockups and lifestyle visuals for each item
Creates variation prompts to match each image to brand tone and style guide
Time Spent: 16 hours
Cost: £800 total
Outcome: 150 descriptions and over 500 images ready for upload
Cost Comparison: Equivalent work by traditional freelancers would take over a week and cost upwards of £3,000
2. Coaching Business AI Assistant
Business: A solo coach offering one-on-one mindset training sessions
Problem: Time spent writing follow-up notes, action plans, and resources for each client
Solution: The coach hires a prompt engineer to design a ChatGPT-based coaching assistant
Prompt Engineer Tasks:
Builds a prompt framework to summarise sessions and generate personalised notes
Creates templates to provide book suggestions, journal prompts, and affirmations
Trains the coach on how to use and adapt the system
Time Spent: 10 hours
Cost: £600 total
Outcome: Saves the coach 8–10 hours per week and improves client retention
ROI: The coach closes two more clients per month due to faster turnaround and better client materials
3. Agency Content Scaling
Business: A digital marketing agency offering blog packages to clients
Problem: High cost of hiring copywriters to scale content
Solution: The agency brings in a freelance prompt engineer on retainer
Prompt Engineer Tasks:
Designs reusable prompt templates to generate blog posts, meta titles, and image captions
Trains the internal team on editing AI-generated drafts
Sets up an internal content generation dashboard using Notion and ChatGPT
Monthly Cost: £1,000
Output Increase: 4x content volume, 60 percent cost reduction
Outcome: Agency can serve more clients without increasing headcount
Why This Role Is Growing in Demand
AI is not replacing people, it is changing the way work gets done. Prompt engineers are part of a new wave of digital freelancers who help businesses adopt AI without needing to build complex infrastructure or hire full-time staff.
They work well in:
Project-based environments
Startups experimenting with lean growth
Agencies looking to scale content and assets
SMEs that want to automate admin or improve customer service
As more businesses realise the potential of AI tools, prompt engineers are becoming the gateway to those benefits.
Final Thoughts
Prompt engineering is not just a technical skill. It is a blend of creativity, strategy, and business understanding. Freelance prompt engineers are uniquely positioned to help companies move faster, cut costs, and build smarter solutions using the tools already available today.
Whether you need to generate high-quality visuals, automate writing, or design internal AI tools, a prompt engineer can deliver work that might otherwise require an entire team.
In terms of return on investment, few roles offer such a high-impact, low-commitment advantage.
If your business is ready to take advantage of AI or if you are a skilled prompt engineer looking for work, AI-FORGE connects clients with top freelance talent who understand how to make AI work in the real world.