What happened
Software engineer Jake Saunders articulated growing industry fatigue with the pervasive focus on AI tools over delivered product value. Saunders observes a shift from "Product Engineer" roles, which prioritised value, to "AI engineer" roles concentrating on tooling. He notes management now measures "tokens used per-dev" instead of output-focused metrics like DORA, likening the situation to woodworkers discussing hammers instead of finished tables.
Why it matters
This shift risks diverting engineering effort from tangible product delivery to tool optimisation, potentially impacting founders and CTOs prioritising market value. Procurement teams may face pressure to adopt AI tools based on internal mandates rather than proven ROI. This echoes earlier critiques, such as Karen Hao's concerns about resource monopolisation in AI development, suggesting a broader industry trend. Teams should assume internal metrics will shift towards tool usage, requiring clear articulation of product value over token counts.
Subscribe for Weekly Updates
Stay ahead with our weekly AI and tech briefings, delivered every Tuesday.
