AI coding tools unlock small software
I’ve been programming for about 40 years. Lately, I’ve started creating new programs between meetings. The difference is that I can now hand much of the mechanical work to an AI coding tool, then spend my time fixing the interesting parts. They may not be the best programs. Some are a bit strange. But they are programs I didn’t have time to write before, and now I do. The immediate effect is more…
A 40-year veteran of programming has discovered that AI coding tools have revolutionized the way he works. These tools allow him to delegate much of the mechanical work to the AI, freeing up time to focus on the more interesting aspects of coding. While his programs may not be perfect, they are still valuable outputs that would have taken him too long to create in the past.
This new ability has made it possible for many small tasks to cross the line from "not worth doing" to "within reach". For example, a dashboard for a small team that requires connecting to three systems, handling authentication, deployment, and ongoing maintenance may not have been worth building before, but now it is feasible with AI assistance.
This shift creates a new market for software, focusing on small, specific use cases that were previously too expensive to build. Traditional software companies have traditionally prioritized large-scale products, but now smaller, more niche programs are becoming viable. The key question to ask before building any program is whether it is truly necessary or if it can be discarded if it proves to be of no value.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
