There’s a question I’ve been discussing quite often lately with younger developers:
If AI continues to evolve at this pace, will it eventually — or perhaps very soon — take our jobs?
The answer, in my opinion, is simple:
Yes.
AI will take the jobs of many software developers.
But whose jobs?
I tend to divide developers into two broad groups: playmakers and implementers.
On one side, you have developers who are given a task, pick up the ticket, write the code, deliver it, and move on to the next one.
On the other side, you have developers who try to understand the problem first. They question requirements, design solutions, evaluate alternatives, make architectural decisions, and, when necessary, have the confidence to say:
“We shouldn’t build it this way.”
These are the playmakers.
And I believe AI poses a serious threat to the first group.
Because if a task is standard enough to be clearly described, AI is becoming better, faster, and cheaper at doing it every day.
Today, we can still make ourselves comfortable by saying:
“AI still can’t write proper code.”
But that misses the point.
Don’t look at what AI can do today.
Look at what it could do two years ago — and what it can do now.
For playmaker developers, however, the situation is very different.
For them, AI is not just a threat. It is leverage.
A strong developer who knows how to work effectively with AI can already produce what would have required several developers only a few years ago.
And I believe the value of these developers may increase rather than decrease.
That’s why my advice to younger developers is simple:
Don’t focus only on becoming better at writing code. Become better at solving problems.
Understand why something is being built.
Question the requirements.
Learn architecture.
Understand the business.
Learn how to make decisions.
And most importantly, learn how to work with AI.
Because if your job consists mainly of translating clearly defined requirements into code...
I’m sorry, but AI really is a threat to your job.
But if you’re one of the people who understands the problem, makes the decisions, and sets the direction, there may be more to be excited about than afraid of.
So perhaps the real question isn’t:
“Will AI take my job?”
The real question is:
