Why the Sophistication of Your Prompt Correlates Almost Perfectly with the Sophistication of the Response, as Research by Anthropic Found

Research from Anthropic reveals a near-perfect correlation between the sophistication of a user's prompt and the resulting AI response. This finding reframes prompt engineering, emphasizing deep understanding and clear problem framing—or "cognitive scaffolding"—over simple tricks and keywords. The data suggests that AI models like Claude act as multipliers for existing expertise rather than as equalizers for all users. Consequently, those with strong domain knowledge and critical thinking skills can extract far more value from these systems, highlighting the continued importance of human capital.