{
  "id": 6971983,
  "title": "Make it anyway",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/make-it-anyway",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-12T17:24:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Lobsters",
    "slug": "lobsters",
    "url": "https://www.joelotter.com/posts/2026/09/make-it-anyway/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The recent weeks have been particularly challenging for me. I feel as though my enthusiasm and motivation have faded, like a tissue paper dissolving in the washing machine. It's a predicament that many in the creative industry, including myself, have experienced. The rise of generative AI has led to a devaluation of the work of artists and creators, who find their contributions being reproduced and repackaged without recognition.\n\nIn my field of programming, the impact of AI is even more pronounced. It's a turbulent period, with a sense that the craft of software engineering is undergoing a dramatic shift. Many of us have been grappling with how to adapt to this change, and it's not an easy task to undertake without hindsight. There's a temptation to simply follow the crowd, but I believe this is a race against a moving finish line.\n\nI'm not here to convince anyone of a particular viewpoint. Instead, I want to share my personal experience. I find programming with a code assistant to be unenjoyable. The output doesn't feel authentic to me, and I don't derive pride from what it produces. This has led me to question whether the enjoyment I derive from programming, which has been a significant part of my life, is diminishing.\n\nThe creative process of making small tools and helpers has been a source of pride for me. For instance, I developed a popular interactive git branch switcher. However, with AI's capabilities, these small achievements seem to be diminishing in value. It's disheartening to realize that I'm no longer the only one who can create such tools.\n\nThis struggle is not limited to programming. The game development industry is also feeling the effects of AI. A recent discussion with my friend Zach Gage highlighted how game making is becoming more like music production. While his insight is valuable, it has left me feeling a sense of loss. Years of learning to make games have been hard, and now it feels like it might have been a futile endeavor.\n\nRecently, I had a conversation with Shad, a highly talented designer and engineer. He's working on Uncamera, an iOS camera app that uses raw sensor data to create images that resemble film. Unlike many others, Shad has chosen not to use generative AI in his work. His decision to continue making things the hard way, despite his anxieties, contrasts with my own inclination to avoid it.\n\nI've come to realize that there are only three paths open to me. I could use AI to stay competitive, but that would likely diminish my enjoyment of the work. I could stop creating altogether, but that's rarely a viable option for a creative individual. Or, I could continue making things the way I enjoy, learning continuously, and doing it the hard way. This is why we create games, art, and other forms of expression - because we want to do it, not because it's easy or competitive.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}