Thriving in the Age of Agentic AI

Depending on whether you're a glass half full person or a glass half empty person you either think AI is going to eliminate jobs or you think AI will enable individuals and small teams to be powerhouses. I'm the latter.

As agentic AI becomes more sophisticated I believe the people with the following characteristics will reap the most benefits and come out on top. How do you stack up?

Opinionated problem solvers:

• Solving problems with software will be easier than ever, but can you identify these problems, truly understand them, and figure out the solution to them? That will be key.
• How do you decide what problems you are going to solve and how to solve them? If the answer is you read a Jira ticket or listen to your manager… this isn't you.

Possess a fundamental understanding of technology:

• Yes, AI Agents will augment building software but have you tried using AI assisted tools to write code. The best output is produced when you can clearly scope requirements for what you are looking for.
• Do you methodically map out requirements for how software should be built before prompting AI to write any code? If the answer is yes and then some… this is you.

Be no stranger to human connection:

• Being able to effectively communicate and craft the story behind what you are building will be one of the most valuable skills to have. When engineering is cheap, this human quality will make you stand out.
• Do you take pride in being an efficient communicator, love telling stories and appreciate good humor. If you're weak in this area, figure out where you can lean in.

Thoughts? What am I missing?