Prompt engineering: is being an AI 'whisperer' the job of the future or a short-lived fad?

As generative AI settles into the mainstream, growing numbers of courses and certifications are promising entry into the "hot job" of prompt engineering. Having skills in using natural language (such as English) to "prompt" useful content out of AI models such as ChatGPT and Midjourney seems like something many employers would value. But is it as simple as doing a short course and riding the wave to a six-figure salary? A Washington Post article published in February did a lot to seed the notion that prompt engineers are "AI whisperers" who "program in prose". It dropped some big salary numbers and quoted a job ad by Silicon Valley company Anthropic calling for people who have "a creative hacker spirit and love solving puzzles".