Edward Morris

Edward graduated from BA (Hons) Journalism in 2018. He is now a world leading Prompt Engineer and CEO of the company he built, Enigmatica. His success, around Prompting and Generative AI, has been featured on the front page of the Financial Times and on the NASDAQ screen in Times Square (New York) for AI campaigns. We caught up with Edward to discuss his incredible career and the role Solent played in his success.

You're Prompt Engineer and CEO of Enigmatica. Tell us what it entails.

I dedicate a heavy amount of time teaching communities, upskilling not-for-profits, charities, and individuals in how best to use AI.

Each day is different with its own unique challenges. Some days you’re helping upskill staff members from a Fortune 500 in how to use AI and other days you’re helping volunteers in charity organisations. Even with the work itself, each task is different.

Some days you’re writing prompts to generate simple things like emails and on other days you’re making hyper realistic personalities that politicians can debate with so that they can sharpen their skills. No day is typical in truth, and I honestly thrive off of it.

I have also taught Prompt Engineering and Generative AI at Taras Shevchenko University in Ukraine, despite them being in the middle of conflict. I've also taught students from The American University in the Emirates, Santo Tomas University in Chile, and Oxford University, amongst others in how best to utilise Prompt Engineering.

What were the challenges, started out?

Misinformation was the biggest one. I started in November 2022 with the Alpha/Beta version of ChatGPT. Back then the community was relatively small, but as time went on, more people joined, and more false information filled the sphere. These days it’s nearly inescapable. People making false claims around AI capabilities is extremely common. Another big challenge was simply having the authority to call myself a Prompt Engineer. I don’t have a technical background at all, so I was often met with scepticism. That’s far from the case now.

Though it didn't always used to be this way for me. Before that, my life was very different. It certainly wasn't always Financial Times, Forbes, and Yahoo Finance. Far from it. Before university, I was living in a council flat, with just my mother’s disability benefits and a carers allowance to keep us going. And before then? I was a child living in extreme poverty on the streets of Cagayan De Oro, Philippines. Praying for a better life almost every day.

Share your Solent experience with us.

I graduated from Solent University with a degree in journalism. I had an interest in AI back then, but I wouldn't consider it to be much more than an interest. Mainly around ethics, implementation, and upskilling. During my time at Solent University, I realised I didn't have to be "just a journalist". That I could be whatever I wanted to be. That the title "journalist" is just that. A title. But journalism in itself is so much more than just titles. It's the news. The articles. The things you tell the world. The stories you write for others, and sometimes, for yourself. I saw journalism as a foundation. I didn't see it as just a tool. I saw it as bedrock, the rock that I could build on.

The skills and values I learned inside the course contributed to where I am today. If it weren't for that inquisitive nature, that drive, and the want to see what's beyond the horizon; I wouldn't be where I am today. If I didn't turn the page, I wouldn't have known the rest of the story.

What was the best thing about your course lecturers?

I had a wonderful lecturer. His name was Martin Buckley. When I was younger and in my first year, I was very shy and reserved. Never coming out of my shell. But Martin’s personality, by the time I reached by fourth year, became something I truly admired. That really stuck with me. I’ve never met anyone quite like him.

What about the facilities?

Although I definitely wasn’t into AI at the time, I did spend a silly amount of time in the JM building using the newsroom. I loved using the Mac and working on cool things. I have many good memories in that room.

Do you feel like your studies helped you prepare for a career in the industry?

Some of my journalism aspects rubbed off into Prompt Engineering. The way I word things and the way I craft my prompts is entirely dependent on myself and how I communicate. But more importantly, the words I choose, the way I space sentences, the way I act with the machine. Not to mention the ability to spot good writing and bad writing.

What did you like best about being a Solent student?

If it weren’t for Solent, I wouldn’t have landed my first major bit of work experience with Mercedes-Benz. Solent taught me determination and allowed me to be an adult, make my own choices, and focus on the things that mattered to me. I always had support, people I could turn to, and resources I could use for whatever project I wanted to tackle next. In truth, I miss Solent as an adult, because life seemed so much more adventurous back then. Everything seemed so new. Most people talk about finding yourself at university, and that’s very true. I did. Do I work in journalism? Absolutely not. But did those traits I picked up from Solent and my journalism course contribute to my success? Absolutely.

How do you envision AI shaping the future of various industries?

This totally depends how deep down the rabbit hole you want to go. Currently, I’m the leader in my industry when it comes to creating synthetic personalities that feel real as well as understanding what makes a good and bad prompt or how to get certain results. I think we’re going to slowly started seeing more autonomous AI agents that can perform tasks in the near future. Then shortly after, the agents will likely be given a sense of faux-Free Will. Meaning that they’ll still work on a specific task but have the ability to choose how best to go about it. This will affect every single industry that we know. Then there’s robotics and AI, but currently it’s too early to say where we’re going with that.

What tips would you give to someone wanting a career in your industry?

Put yourself out there. Leave interesting comments and observations. I don’t come from an AI background – my degree was in journalism. Yet, I now have the Financial Times referring to me as an AI expert and Microsoft coming to me for help. Put yourself out there, try different things, don’t be afraid. I’ll quote Mark Zuckerberg: "move fast, break things".