Chasing new skills, going back to basics and pushing for collective action: how software engineers are adapting to AI
AI tools have shifted the daily work of software engineers away from writing code, contributing to layoffs and underemployment in a field that was among the highest-paid in the US just a few years ago. Some engineers are practicing coding on personal projects outside of work to keep their skills intact.
Why this matters: When a profession changes this fast, the people inside it bear all the risk. Software engineers are not just losing jobs — they are losing the daily practice that keeps them employable. Skills rust when you stop using them. The engineers quietly coding on train rides to stay sharp are doing something rational, but they should not have to. The bigger issue is who benefits when AI replaces skilled work. Usually it is the companies, not the workers whose expertise trained the tools in the first place.
Who should care: General readers · AI governance · Policy
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