For decades, software engineers have largely been measured by their ability to implement.
How quickly can you code? How well do you know a framework? Can you optimize a query, debug a production issue, or architect a distributed system?
These skills remain important. But they are no longer enough.
AI is changing the economics of software creation. Working code is becoming abundant. What remains scarce is the judgment to decide what should be built, why it matters, and whether it creates value.