Prompt Engineering: How to Talk to the AIs
by Ronnie Sheer · LinkedIn Learning
Our Verdict
Worth it — with caveatsTake it only as a fast, credible primer: 'Prompt Engineering: How to Talk to the AIs' is a genuinely tiny 29-minute LinkedIn Learning course (not the ~2 hours the catalog lists) that earns its 4.6/5 rating from ~19,880 learners mainly because the instructor is exceptional, not because it is comprehensive. It is taught by Xavier Amatriain, former VP of Engineering and AI product strategy at LinkedIn (with prior roles at Netflix, Google, and Quora), so the conceptual framing is trustworthy and well-paced for absolute beginners. Across ten short lessons it explains what a prompt is, how to design one, and basic-to-'advanced' examples for both text (ChatGPT-style) and image generation, plus a healthcare example that shows real stakes. The honest ceiling: chain-of-thought is the most advanced technique covered, there is no RAG, agents, or hands-on project, and it has not been updated since its April 2023 release, so some examples feel dated. Treat it as your first 30 minutes of structured thinking, then graduate to a longer, hands-on course.
It is worth the 29 minutes if you are a complete beginner who already has LinkedIn Premium/Learning access and wants a credible mental model before going deeper. It is a poor primary choice for anyone wanting depth, hands-on practice, or current 2025-2026 techniques, and it is not worth subscribing to LinkedIn Learning for on its own when free, deeper, more current alternatives exist.
Best for: Absolute beginners and non-technical professionals who want a short, high-credibility conceptual introduction to prompting for ChatGPT/LLMs and image models, especially people who already pay for LinkedIn Learning/Premium and want a quick shareable certificate.
Skip if: Developers or practitioners who want hands-on labs, anyone needing modern techniques (RAG, tool use, agents, structured outputs), and people without an existing LinkedIn Learning subscription who would be better served by free, more thorough courses. Also not ideal if you need up-to-date 2025-2026 examples, since it has not been refreshed since April 2023.
About This Course
Master prompt techniques for ChatGPT, Claude, and other LLMs including chain-of-thought, few-shot, and role prompting.
What You'll Learn
Curriculum
Introduction lesson framing the course and the generative AI moment.
How to use the two reference files: 'Prompts and Responses' and 'Resources and Links'.
Context on why generative models and prompting matter now.
Defines a prompt and how generative models interpret input.
A practical approach to structuring prompts for a desired outcome.
Worked beginner-level prompt/response examples.
Frames prompt engineering as optimizing prompts given a model and a goal.
More involved examples, topping out at chain-of-thought style reasoning.
Practical heuristics and common pitfalls when prompting.
Conclusion pointing learners to further learning via the resources handout.
Prerequisites
- None stated; aimed at beginners with no prior AI experience
- Practical: access to a generative AI tool such as ChatGPT to try the example prompts
- Access requirement: a LinkedIn Learning / LinkedIn Premium subscription (or a 1-month free trial)
Instructor
Ronnie Sheer
Instructor · LinkedIn Learning
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Outstanding instructor credibility: Xavier Amatriain (ex-VP Engineering/AI at LinkedIn, prior Netflix, Google, Quora) gives a trustworthy conceptual framing
- Extremely time-efficient at ~29 minutes; you can finish it in one sitting and walk away with a usable mental model
- Covers both text and image-generation prompting, plus a healthcare example that grounds the stakes
- Includes downloadable handouts (sample prompts/responses and a curated resources list) and a quiz for reinforcement
- Strong, durable 4.6/5 rating from a very large sample (~19,880 ratings) and a shareable certificate of completion
Cons
- Very shallow coverage: chain-of-thought is the most advanced technique; no RAG, tool use, agents, structured outputs, or evaluation
- No hands-on project or graded labs; it is a watch-and-learn video introduction
- Not updated since its April 2023 release, so tool references and examples feel dated for 2025-2026
- Locked behind a LinkedIn Learning/Premium subscription, while deeper and more current alternatives are free
Alternatives To Consider
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Prompt Engineering: How to Talk to the AIs free?
Prompt Engineering: How to Talk to the AIs is $29.99/mo. No standalone price; included with a LinkedIn Learning / LinkedIn Premium subscription (catalog lists $29.99/mo) and accessible via a 1-month free trial. Free for existing LinkedIn Premium members. NOTE: the catalog's instructor ('Ronnie Sheer'), duration ('2 hours'), and last-updated ('2024-08') do not match the live course, which is taught by Xavier Amatriain, runs ~29 minutes, and was released April 17, 2023.
Who is Prompt Engineering: How to Talk to the AIs for?
Absolute beginners and non-technical professionals who want a short, high-credibility conceptual introduction to prompting for ChatGPT/LLMs and image models, especially people who already pay for LinkedIn Learning/Premium and want a quick shareable certificate.
What will you learn in Prompt Engineering: How to Talk to the AIs?
What a prompt is and the core idea of prompt engineering as designing the optimal prompt for a given model and goal; A practical framework for designing and structuring an effective prompt; Basic prompt patterns illustrated with concrete, worked examples; More advanced prompting up to chain-of-thought reasoning (the most advanced technique the course covers).
What are the prerequisites for Prompt Engineering: How to Talk to the AIs?
None stated; aimed at beginners with no prior AI experience; Practical: access to a generative AI tool such as ChatGPT to try the example prompts; Access requirement: a LinkedIn Learning / LinkedIn Premium subscription (or a 1-month free trial).
Is Prompt Engineering: How to Talk to the AIs worth it?
It is worth the 29 minutes if you are a complete beginner who already has LinkedIn Premium/Learning access and wants a credible mental model before going deeper. It is a poor primary choice for anyone wanting depth, hands-on practice, or current 2025-2026 techniques, and it is not worth subscribing to LinkedIn Learning for on its own when free, deeper, more current alternatives exist.
How we reviewed this course
This is an independent editorial assessment by Cursarium, based on LinkedIn Learning's published course materials and aggregated public learner feedback (last reviewed 2026-06). We have not independently completed the course. Links to providers are standard references, not paid placements.
Sources
- Official course page - Prompt Engineering: How to Talk to the AIs (LinkedIn Learning)
- Johns Hopkins University Imagine listing (confirms instructor and course)
- useful.ai - Best Prompt Engineering Courses (rating, duration, strengths/limitations, alternatives)
- Class Central course listing (provider and catalog metadata)