February 2, 2026
AI writes code, you write the plot
Being "Just a Developer" Isn't Enough Anymore
AI floods code; humans win with business knowhow and keeping things running
TLDR: AI makes cranking out code easy, so the real value is understanding the business and keeping software running. Commenters argue this isn’t new, joke that “everyone’s a dev until maintenance hits,” and say engineering judgment and domain knowledge still decide who stays valuable.
The post says the quiet part out loud: with artificial intelligence acting like a tireless junior coworker, simply “writing code” isn’t rare anymore. The author argues the real edge is human stuff — understanding the business, customers, rules, and the messy realities of keeping software alive. Cue the comments section going full popcorn mode.
Veterans chimed in with a collective eye-roll: pjmlp basically said this was never true for consultants — clients always wanted more than code. the_af dropped a throwback link to "Don’t Call Yourself A Programmer", a 2011 classic proving this “revelation” is vintage advice with a fresh coat of AI paint. awesome_dude reminded everyone that Amazon’s cloud (AWS) already dragged developers into “ops” — the gritty work of keeping apps and servers running — and that domain knowledge has long been the entry ticket for serious industries like healthcare.
Meanwhile, the memes flew. colesantiago joked “everyone is now a developer” — just don’t mention the horror sequel called “software maintenance.” SimianSci went full dramatic: “Software Development might be dead, but Software Engineering is alive and well,” insisting AI can draft code, but humans still have to design the architecture and make the tough calls. Verdict from the crowd: AI can speed you up, but the winners will be the folks who know the business, think across the stack, and don’t panic at 2 a.m. outages.
Key Points
- •The article argues that AI now performs at a junior–mid developer level, making code generation cheaper and more accessible.
- •It claims that pure coding skill is no longer a durable advantage as AI accelerates software production.
- •AI is presented as a force multiplier that boosts productivity, enabling developers to ship more and faster.
- •The author emphasizes deep business domain knowledge (metrics, incentives, customers, regulations) as a key differentiator.
- •Broader skills across the stack—especially DevOps, security, performance, and reliability—are presented as essential to remain valuable.