Synopsis

In Processes are More Important than Prompts, Leon Furze argues that “prompt engineering” has become less important as GenAI technologies have matured. His early 2023 article focused heavily on crafting perfect prompts, but technological improvements—multimodal inputs (PDFs, images, spreadsheets), internet access, thinking models, and research applications—have reduced the need for lengthy contextual prompts. Instead, he introduces “The Practical AI Process,” a five-step framework applicable across platforms. Step one: Apply your expertise by leaning into domain, technological, and situated knowledge before using AI. Step two: Select the right model for the job—understanding when to use fast models versus thinking models, Deep Research, Canvas/Artifacts, custom chatbots, AI agents, or local models. Step three: Add context through various file formats including documents, images, audio, and video. Step four: Use the internet by enabling web search (enabled by default in some platforms, toggleable in others). Step five: Iterate and refine through dialogue with the chatbot and potentially bouncing between platforms for different parts of a task. Furze emphasizes there’s no magic formula or acronym for prompting—the chatbot interface itself is inadequate—but this systematic process offers more control over outputs across text, image, audio, and video generation.

Originally published at: https://leonfurze.com/2025/11/03/processes-are-more-important-than-prompts/

Links