Since the first compiler, software has been a stack of human-friendly abstractions translated into machine instructions. The engineers who understood at least some of what was going on under the hood were essential—indispensable even. But now? Thanks to AI, your PM and designer can ship working prototypes with real code faster than you can. Face it: you might be not as important as you used to be. At least, not if you keep seeing your job in the same way. So it's time to take a big step back from what you thought engineering was and rethink what it’s actually for. And whether you're into them or not, startups just may hold the lessons you need to survive and thrive in the coming era.

Takeaways:

• Understand where AI sits in the grand evolution of software engineering, what's not changing, and why startups are the right thought experiment even if you never build one
• Re-engage with the critical mental models that still hold sway and are only becoming more important
• Review the mindsets that will serve you well and the mindsets that won't
• Reframe your engineering job for your future success, whether you're founding startups or never stepping foot in them