2026-02-26
From one developer to another, if I ignore the content bubble that needs to surf every “new summer trend,” I see two very clear feelings when the topic is AI: rejection and excitement.
This is the classic one: “I don’t need this,” “my code is already better,” “this only gets in the way,” “AI is dumb.” Deep down, it is almost never only about AI.
This profile usually also has difficulty listening, collaborating, accepting review, and admitting mistakes. It is the “know-it-all” profile, always with a ready excuse to explain any bad decision or problem. But software development is not an individual sport.
Every dev makes mistakes. The “keyboard genius” also makes mistakes. The real difference is in who learns fast and changes direction without turning everything into an ego battle.
This is not childish excitement, like thinking everything can now be solved with a magic prompt. It is excitement for a good tool, one that changes the way we work because it creates real positive results.
For me, AI feels a lot like when I first discovered TDD. That feeling of starting to think better, testing hypotheses faster, failing earlier, fixing sooner, and learning in the flow. Quality stops depending only on “heroics” and starts depending on process.
When AI is used well, I learn faster. I reach better solutions earlier. I have more repertoire to compare approaches. I can keep software quality for longer.
But there is an important point: AI does not turn bad code into good engineering by miracle. It amplifies what already exists. If a developer is careful, thoughtful, and curious, they tend to become stronger. If a developer is lazy, superficial, and looking for shortcuts, that will also be amplified. And the damage can scale quickly.
So, the useful discussion is not “Will AI replace developers?” The useful discussion is: what kind of developer are you becoming, so you are not replaced by a developer who uses AI?
Are you using the tool to think better or to think less? Are you refining your criteria or outsourcing your judgment? Are you speeding up learning, or only speeding up delivery without depth? Are you improving team collaboration, or creating more hidden debt?
At the end of the day, this is not about being “for” or “against.” That is too shallow for the complexity of the subject. This is about professional maturity. Every new tool requires method adjustments, discipline, and humility to relearn the basics with new possibilities.
And here is the uncomfortable but honest part: you can ignore AI. But you cannot ignore the consequences of ignoring it.