The AI frenzy is really making me rethink my career
I started working at Shopify in the product side. It's backend API development focused with some full stack elements. However with AI popping up everywhere, I get the feeling that to be employable in the future, I need to get a job as an AI engineer or work on a team that focuses on it. With Shopify heavily relying on rails as well which is seen as an older framework, I don't know if I'll have a competitive edge in the future.
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21 days agoEngineer @ RobinhoodAs you get towards the more senior side of the ladder, the bias/preference for the expected impact actually leans towards problems than specific tools. Tools are simply a mechanic to solve problems, and don't provide any inherent value when used in isolation. Let's say I have 1000 hours: I could build a heavily polished AI-based dating app for cats or I could work for a fast food job for those hours. Generally, the fast food job will net me more value because the cat dating app provides no purpose or value to enough users where a growth/monetization plan can be executed.
If you feel like AI can solve the core problems you or your team face at work, then there's a clear problem space that can be addressed by becoming more of an AI engineer. Else, you're just giving into FOMO and wasting time that could be used to build up engineering fundamentals (communication, xfn leadership, domain knowledge, coding experience). Fundamentals will carry over with time, but anchoring yourself on specific tools or technology will not.
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