As AI Generates Code, Human Judgment Becomes the Core Engineering Skill

The rise of AI tools has made producing code significantly cheaper and faster than before. However, machines still lack the ability to exercise critical judgment about what should be built and why. This shift means that discernment — knowing when, how, and whether to build something — is becoming the defining skill for engineers. The engineer of the next decade will still need to build, but their primary value will lie in sound decision-making rather than mere output. As creation becomes commoditized, human judgment emerges as the scarce and essential resource.