AI scares me

Posted on: 30 March 2026

AI scares me. Not because I’m frightened about an apocalyptic AI uprising that threatens to destroy humanity (although it is in the back of my mind). It scares me because I work in tech, and for the first time since AI hit the “mainstream” with chat bots, I feel left behind.

That’s quite a vulnerable admission to make about my career. I’ve never been an overtly confident developer, despite feeling reasonably secure in my skillset. Imposter syndrome has always lurked just round the corner, ready to sink its claws in.

Whilst I’ve seen technology come and go and evolve since I got my first job on the web in 2010, AI feels like the first true game changer. AI is rewiring what it means to be a developer.

I’ve prided myself in my ability to go through the learn/try/execute cycle. The web is a wealth of knowledge if you know where and how to look for it. And with the right practice and application, new knowledge can be acquired and become part of your arsenal.

But with AI, a lot of this can be skipped. The manual trial and error and assimilation of knowledge is no longer necessary. With a clear enough instruction, AI can be used to simply do the task in your head. If you can imagine it, AI can do it.

This scares me.

I am a methodical worker. I enjoy the learning process. I enjoy seeing the results of my labour. Until now I’ve accepted time is a common denominator in this process. But in the modern, fast-paced economy, there’s now a fast track.

I’m old enough to be cynical about the long term future of AI. But there is no denying its usage and benefit in the present on productivity. It feels like a technology that you either jump on board with, or get left behind in the industry.

So, perhaps against my better judgement, I’m jumping aboard the AI train and seeing if it makes me a more productive developer.