Introduction: Skepticism About AI
Let me be straightforward: I’m still an AI skeptic. In fact, I often wrap the term “AI” in quotation marks when mentioning it. However, my skepticism is aimed at the present rather than the future. I don’t feel excited or optimistic about AI’s trajectory, but it’s undeniable that AI will become increasingly embedded in the work of developers.
In the tech industry, we often joke that AI suggestions are usually unhelpful, but this is bound to improve over time. Just look at the remarkable advancements in AI-generated images and videos over the past 12 months. While generated images may still have imperfections, the progress is undeniable.
Additionally, with venture capital (VC) funds almost exclusively focusing on AI and the turbulent state of tech recruitment—with ongoing mass layoffs—even a skeptic like me can see that the role of developers will inevitably be impacted.
Challenges on the Horizon
The biggest risk I foresee is that if your job solely revolves around writing code, your position is at significant risk. While this isn’t an immediate threat in most cases, as AI continues to enhance its coding capabilities—similar to how it’s improved in generating images and videos—it’s only a matter of time before developers face redundancy risks.
Is this fair? Absolutely not. Is it time to panic? Not yet. But I believe this is the moment to expand your skill set beyond just coding. Improving your soft skills—what I prefer to call core skills—is particularly crucial.
What Are Core Skills?
Core skills, often referred to as soft skills, are essentially life skills that help you work more effectively. These include:
- Communicating with others,
- Organizing tasks for yourself and your team,
- Making decisions, and
- Adapting to challenging situations.
I refer to them as core skills to emphasize their importance.
Why Are Core Skills Important?
To become a truly outstanding developer, technical skills alone aren’t enough. It also depends on how you approach other aspects, such as:
- Effective communication,
- Giving and receiving feedback,
- Finding practical solutions,
- Planning and organizing,
- Thinking like a web developer.
Over my 15 years of working with CSS, I’ve realized that it’s the core skills—not technical expertise—that truly make a difference. In consulting with organizations ranging from large corporations to small startups, improving core skills often became the key to overcoming challenges.
The reason? Many organizations often “code themselves into a corner” because they push through tasks (Jira tickets) without stepping back to ask, “Is our approach actually working?” By focusing on core skills, teams were able to quickly identify problems and develop practical solutions—solutions that often had little to do with writing code but instead involved improving communication and collaboration.
Core Skills vs. AI
One thing AI cannot do—and hopefully never will—is to be human. The way we communicate, think, and make decisions is inherently human. That’s why enhancing your core skills not only makes you stand out but also ensures your value in an AI-driven world.
How to Improve Core Skills
You can start enhancing your core skills with small yet impactful steps, such as:
- Fostering better communication between design and development teams,
- Reducing reliance on design “handoffs” and using web outputs as the single source of truth,
- Planning and collaborating thoroughly before starting production work,
- Shifting your mindset from “rush to finish” to taking a step back, analyzing the problem, and devising a collaborative—and often simpler—solution.
Conclusion
The key takeaway is this: Core skills are just as important—if not more so—than staying up-to-date with the latest CSS or JavaScript trends. Developing these skills will help you stand out against AI and secure your relevance in any situation. Improving your core skills is a sure way to future-proof your career.