Given this recent discovery of just how far AI has progressed, I have a few insights and predictions.
Brace yourself, I’m brutally honest here.
Firstly, if you’re JUST a developer, or JUST an admin, you will no longer be in demand. This means now is the time to level up. Consider becoming a decision maker, like a business analyst or architect.
Secondly, even architects won’t need to design as much. You tell the AI WHAT you’d like to do, and it suggests HOW to do it. Then you refine the design until you approve it. So you’re no longer an author, you’re an editor.
This means an architect still needs to have good ideas, and know when to push back. It also means a solo architect can produce the work of a small team, without actually needing a team.
Thirdly, the demand for consulting agencies will probably diminish. If a client can ask AI for its opinion and then execute (and the results are good enough), why does it need your agency?
Some agencies will survive, but there won’t be as many as there are today. This means they will need to stand out from the crowd by specializing.
Lastly, charging by the hour no longer makes ANY sense. If you can 12z times more productive, will you 12x your hourly rate to match or greatly pad your hours? Instead, consider changing to another pricing model, one based on the value you provide to clients.
The takeaway
A smart and capable AI changes the game. It doesn’t replace the need for humans (for now), but it will force them to change their responsibilities to stay relevant.