The Engineer Identity Crisis: AI Didn't Take Your Job, It Doubled It

Short summary

AI didn't reduce engineering work—it redistributed and intensified it. You type less but review constantly; you've gained an unpaid second job staying current with tools that shift every quarter. Instead of becoming an "AI jockey" (productive but shallow) or refusing change (obsolete), take the third path: review AI skeptically, maintain fundamentals, redirect freed time to high-value work AI can't do, and become the thought leader deciding what's worth building.

• •AI doubled engineer workload by shifting effort from typing to reviewing, validating, and keeping current with tools
• •The false choice is between becoming an "AI jockey" (fast but hollow) or refusing adaptation (becoming obsolete)—both sacrifice engineering identity
• •The third path: skeptical review, maintained fundamentals, focus on edges and business logic, and become a thought leader on what matters

Generated with AI, which can make mistakes.