The invisible shift in software development

A fundamental shift is happening in software development, but most people are still looking in the wrong place.

The conversation around AI and coding is stuck on the surface - debating whether AI will replace developers, whether learning to code still makes sense, or whether junior engineers are doomed.

But the real shift is not about AI writing code.

It’s about what happens when the ability to generate code instantly stops being impressive.

We’ve been through this before.

There was a time when being able to do complex arithmetic in your head made you valuable. Then calculators arrived.

There was a time when manually sorting files in cabinets was a full-time job. Then databases replaced them.

What people always get wrong in these transitions is assuming that automation eliminates the need for human expertise.

It doesn’t.

It redefines it.

Why software is more than just code

For decades, software development was centered around one core skill: writing code efficiently. The better you were at that, the more valuable you became.

But as you have seen, AI is rapidly getting better at this.

Yet, despite all the advancements in AI, the fundamental nature of software development hasn’t changed. The value of a developer has never been about the code itself.

Code is not the product. It’s just the medium.

Writing syntax is not the job. It’s the means to an end.

And as AI accelerates the process of generating code, the real measure of a developer will shift from technical execution to something far more critical: the ability to understand why a system is built the way it is, how its pieces fit together, and what trade-offs come with every decision.

Future developers won’t be measured by how well they write code, but by how well they navigate complexity, foresee consequences, and make judgment calls that AI simply can’t.

The invisible shift

A lot of developers don’t see this shift yet because they are still measuring their value the old way.

They are asking: “Can AI write code better than me?”

But the real question is: What happens when writing code is no longer a measure of expertise?

Technical skills have always been a means to an end, not the end itself.

Accounting was never about arithmetic. It was about financial decision-making.

Writing was never about typesetting. It was about communicating ideas.

And software development was never just about writing code. It was about solving problems through technology.

What this means for you

Most people will realize this too late. They’ll cling to “but I can write code faster”, not realizing that typing speed is no longer the differentiator.

The developers who thrive in 2025 and beyond will be the ones who redefine their role before the industry does it for them.

This is what I explore in my latest video. If you’re thinking about where you stand in this shift, watch it and let me know your thoughts:

Talk soon, Ebenezer Don