Are You Good at Prompting - or Good at Using AI?

A lot of people think using AI well means knowing the right prompt formula. In this episode of The AI Relay, Andrew Signore and Jonathan Spanos unpack why that idea is becoming less true — and why clear goals, better context, and stronger judgment matter more than “magic words.”They explore how prompting used to feel like a step-by-step instruction game, and how newer AI tools are changing that by handling more context, more memory, and more multi-step work. The bigger shift is this: the real skill is no longer just writing clever prompts — it’s defining the objective clearly enough for AI to help in a useful way.In this episode:- why prompts are not magic spells- why clear goals beat clever wording- how AI capabilities change the way people should work with models- why asking better questions may matter more than memorizing prompt tricks- how to think in terms of outcomes instead of only instructionsIf you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “bad at prompting,” this episode is for you. The AI Relay is about understanding AI in plain English — so non-technical listeners can build better mental models and use these tools more effectively.What changed for you first: your prompts, or your understanding of what AI can actually do?