I’m writing this down so I can be wrong in public. As of February 2025, this is what I expect to be true about software engineering by 2030.
Teams get smaller. The product that needed twelve engineers needs four, because each of the four now works across the whole stack with a tool that never gets tired. The backend-only engineer goes away as a job. The wall between backend and frontend was always a staffing decision, and the staffing changed.
More companies, and smaller ones. When four people can build what twelve used to, starting something gets cheap, and more people start things. That means more competition for every niche, and it means the interesting jobs are at companies you haven’t heard of yet.
Judgment becomes the job. Typing was never the hard part. Deciding what to type was, and AI removes the typing. What’s left is choosing the problem, designing the system, and knowing when to say no. Fundamentals matter more in this world, because you can’t judge an answer to a question you don’t understand. They still come from books, from reflection, and from writing things down.
Communication becomes the differentiator. Explaining a complicated idea simply, writing documentation someone wants to read, and translating between technical and non-technical people are the skills AI amplifies least and teams need most.
Authenticity gets a price. When everyone can generate competent output, the thing nobody can generate is your taste and your voice. Be you. Nobody can beat you at that.
A prediction needs a plan or it’s only a forecast, so this is mine. Use AI every day and never let it think for me. Keep the fundamentals sharp the slow way, reading and writing. And put real effort into the people I know, because in a market with more companies and smaller teams, your network decides where a lot of your opportunities come from.
Future me, if you’re reading this in 2030, check the list and count how many held.