AI is changing software engineering - here’s how to keep your job

We’ve seen the impact of AI firsthand in custom AI software development. It’s made us more efficient. So much so that we’ve closed our open AI software engineer positions. The work still gets done, faster, better, and with fewer people involved.

That raises a tough but very real question:

Are software companies going to start letting developers go just to adapt to the AI era?

The short answer is yes.

Some already are.

But that doesn’t mean developers are done for. The job is evolving. The engineers who adapt to working with AI (instead of competing against it) are going to be more valuable than ever.

Here are a few practical ways to stay relevant, keep your role, and even grow in a market increasingly driven by AI.

Stop competing with AI, start using it

If you want to keep your job in AI software engineering, start treating AI as your teammate.

Use tools like:

• GitHub Copilot to accelerate development
• ChatGPT or Claude to debug, write tests, or scaffold features
• Custom-trained AI tools for internal project workflows

The best engineers in custom AI development are already using these to get 2–3x more done without sacrificing quality.

Focus on problem framing, not just problem solving

AI can generate solutions, but it still struggles to fully understand real-world problems, edge cases, and user needs.

You’ll stand out by being able to:

• Ask the right questions
• Translate business pain points into technical solutions
• Drive clarity when things are vague

In AI software development, those who guide the project direction are more critical than those who just write code.

Get better at system design and architecture

AI can generate components, but it can’t architect systems.

Learn how to:

• Design scalable, secure, maintainable backend architectures
• Integrate multiple services and APIs
• Make technical trade-offs in real-world scenarios

Engineers who can build the skeleton of a custom AI solution, not just the surface, are going to stay in demand.

Own the whole lifecycle

Companies don’t just want coders, they want builders.

To keep your place on the team, become someone who can:

• Build features end-to-end
• Handle deployment pipelines
• Monitor and improve software in production
• Communicate with product and support teams

Owning the lifecycle makes you less replaceable, even in AI-heavy workflows.

Pick a domain and go deep

Custom AI solutions don’t exist in a vacuum. They solve specific problems for specific industries.

Pick a field like:

• Healthcare
• Logistics
• Finance
• Legal tech

Understand how AI software development applies in that world, and you’ll bring more value than any general-purpose dev or tool ever could.

Learn to lead, even without a title

AI can optimize code, but it can’t manage humans.

Develop skills that make you a team asset:

• Lead discussions
• Mentor others
• Make decisions under uncertainty
• Keep projects moving

Leadership is the one thing AI won’t learn. That’s your edge.

Final thoughts

AI is not just a trend. It is redefining how software is developed. That includes the nature of AI software engineer positions and the way teams approach custom AI software development.

Roles will shift. Some jobs will go. But new opportunities are opening for engineers who embrace change, stay curious, and keep delivering real-world impact.

If you're in software, now is the time to retool and step up.

Don't get replaced. Get ahead.