I have been part of some interesting conversations over the last two days around AI. It’s hard to avoid AI as a topic around most tables you sit at these days.
Now that we all have access to the same LLM models from Anthropic or OpenAI, most conversations go like this:
“I am a system architect. I know how to architect a system, and with the power of these models, I don’t need a developer anymore because AI will help me build this awesome architecture I’ve designed.”
“I am a Business Analyst. I no longer need designers or developers to build the customer requirements that I understand so well. Developers and designers were the bottleneck before, but now I can deliver software so much faster using these models.”
“I am a designer. At the end of the day, customers interact with the designs I create. Now that I have access to these models, I don’t need the help of a developer to create my prototypes anymore. Developers were a bottleneck, slowing me down. No more.”
“I am a coach. I understand my clients' problems, and translating them into requirements for developers and designers used to be a massive chore. No more. I have access to these models, and I can now build end-to-end applications myself.”
“I am a developer. I understand how software works. I don’t need designers anymore because the models can help me with UI/UX, and I don’t need system architects because I have access to models that can design the system. I no longer even need help with marketing or coaching, because the models can help me understand and grow my product.”
I am not sure how to be part of these conversations without feeling a bit sad about how we have stopped appreciating what someone else brings to the table.
I need you. I need you to keep doing what you love doing, and to appreciate what you have to offer.
Your perspective. Your way of thinking around your craft.