For thousands of years, the horse got us where we needed to go. Then came the car. Both got you from point A to point B — but if you tried to drive a car the way you rode a horse, you’d crash it. No reins. No oats. No more stopping to let it drink from a stream. The vehicle changed, and so did the way we traveled.

We’re seeing the same shift in software development. Traditional coding is the horse. AI is the car. Both get you to the destination, but not in the same way. If you try to code the old way while layering AI on top, you’re going to run into friction.

Building with AI requires a new mindset. A different workflow. You can’t just bolt Copilot or GPT onto your current habits and expect 10x output. It might help but not the ways you are hoping. You need to reimagine how you approach problems, design systems, and iterate on ideas.

That doesn’t mean the horse is useless. If you’re navigating tricky, bespoke terrain — maybe a niche algorithm, deep data transformation, or weird edge case — traditional development might still be your best bet. But for 80% of modern product work that follows known patterns? AI tools are already shockingly capable. And getting better by the day.

Most of us are still building Model T-level AI workflows. It’s early. But make no mistake — the roads are being paved, the engines are revving, and developers who learn how to drive are going to move a whole lot faster.

We’re not just writing code anymore. We’re directing systems, designing solutions, and debugging language models. It’s a new role, but we’ve got the skills to adapt — if we’re willing to let go of the reins.