Imagine this: yesterday, fueled by curiosity and armed with a handy AI coding tool (Cursor), I effortlessly built an entire web app—from zero to MVP—in just a few hours. This wasn’t any ordinary web app; it’s a nifty tool that magically turns your ordinary photos into personalized photo calendars. Pretty neat, huh? But here’s the catch: while I felt an incredible rush of excitement at this newfound superpower, a deep worry crept in too.
Why the worry? Well, it hit me hard that if I could use AI to build something cool this quickly, then anyone else can—and eventually, this “anyone” includes my clients. Soon enough, our clients will realize programming isn’t the complex magic they’ve been paying top dollar for. AI might just be on its way to rendering our prized skills as developers far less valuable—or even obsolete—in as little as one to two years.
AI Just Made Programming Easier—So What’s Left for Us?
Traditionally, tech companies like mine have thrived on selling expertise—our ability to code complex solutions that clients can’t build themselves. But as AI rapidly advances, our core competitive advantage—”programming wizardry”—is shrinking.
However, every challenge is also an opportunity, and here’s ours: With AI handling the heavy lifting in coding, the real skill will shift toward controlling AI effectively. Our true competitive advantage will soon lie in our ability to harness AI and build the “right” things—useful products that genuinely solve problems.
The Million-Dollar Question: What Should We Build?
With AI-driven development becoming commonplace, our next challenge becomes clearer: figuring out what actually needs building. Solving real, pressing problems will distinguish the winners from the losers in this new AI-enabled era.
We can’t charge by man-hours anymore, because that model is dying fast. The future is about charging based on the actual value we deliver. People intuitively measure value against cost—basic economics—and they’ll gladly pay if the value they receive is clear and measurable.
Value-Based Pricing is the Future
So here’s our big shift: instead of waiting for AI to inevitably drive down prices, we need to master a quick, systematic approach to identifying pain points, articulating clear value propositions, and validating solutions rapidly. Imagine writing a simple AI prompt that generates a list of pain points and corresponding solutions instantly. Then, validating these ideas quickly through real-world testing—fast validation equals fast payments.
Efficiency is our friend here. Most people won’t adapt as quickly, giving us a head start. Additionally, by already thinking about this second growth curve—value-driven, AI-enabled solutions—we’re strategically ahead of the curve.
The New Name of the Game: Value Exchange
From now on, it’s all about value. Charge based on the measurable benefit your solution delivers—think percentage of value provided rather than hours spent coding. Whenever people need real value, we get paid. It’s sustainable, measurable, and it just makes sense.
The AI wave is here, and it’s both thrilling and unsettling. But armed with the right mindset, this wave doesn’t have to sweep us away—it can carry us to even greater heights. Let’s ride it wisely.
