I began using AI around mid-2025 to help write code for a website. At that point, the experience was very much hit-and-miss.

It would generate one or two files at a time, but as soon as I tried to add a backend, a database, and integrate external services, things became rather underwhelming.

Rapid acceleration

Around November 2025, I tried Google AI Studio. This time, it produced the same code — if not better — than what had taken me weeks of work earlier, and it did so in a matter of minutes.

However, it was still largely front-end focused and wouldn’t create the database or integrations I wanted.

Just one month later, in December 2025, I tried Claude Code running on my home server.

This time:

  • It produced a similar front-end to Google’s output
  • It used the front-end framework I chose
  • It produced the backend and database schema to go with it

One month later, I deployed my first fully-functional SaaS product.

Yes, it still took quite a bit of work to get it exactly how I wanted it — but that’s one developer, with AI, delivering in one month.

Now fast-forward a few years

What I could deliver in one month can, in the future, be delivered by anyone in one day.

At that point, developing software makes little sense as a profession. Further layoffs in the tech industry follow.

And it doesn’t stop at software development.

I can already ask the same AI to:

  • Investigate my home-lab infrastructure
  • Recommend changes
  • Actually implement those changes

So infrastructure jobs aren’t safe either.

Extend this thinking a bit further and we may see reductions in:

  • Lawyers
  • Accountants
  • Bookkeepers
  • Other knowledge-based professions

AI is coming first for the knowledge workers

As a father of three children, I have to think carefully about how to advise them as they consider their futures.

Further education — anyone?

Right now, the safest professions appear to be manual labour professions.

The economic implications

Now let’s skip ahead to the economics of this.

The rich get richer. The middle class gets eliminated.

House prices tumble, and the already stagnant world economy gets even worse.

An economy needs people to:

  • Earn money
  • Spend money

…in order to function.

Some people promote Universal Basic Income (UBI) as the solution to keep the economy functioning.

Personally, I can’t see it.

That would require governments to consistently make decisions that benefit their citizens — and I’m skeptical.

What do you think?

I’m genuinely curious how others see this unfolding.