There's a polarized debate around Large Language Models (LLMs) right now.
On one side, there's fear or excitement that they're rapidly replacing every job imaginable.
On the other, dismissal of LLMs as nothing but “fancy autocorrect” or “lying machines.”
Both extremes miss the practical reality software engineers are currently experiencing.
For software engineers, the truth is neither sensational nor dismissive.
LLMs have fundamentally altered how we write, test, and ship code, not by replacing developers outright but by transforming the economics and practicality of code production.
Whats genuinely new, and critically important, is that LLMs enable engineers to rapidly generate “throwaway code”, functionally correct, immediately valuable snippets of code that would previously have taken too much time or effort.
This shift means we no longer have to commit significant resources to every line written, nor do we need extensive general-purpose solutions that often become bloated and unwieldy.
Yet even modern companies are falling into the old trap, using LLMs simply to enhance traditional “one-size-fits-all” SaaS products.
They attempt to create broad solutions that cater to everyone but satisfy no one fully.
Rather than recognizing and embracing the fundamental shift, they replicate past mistakes, layering new technology onto outdated business models.
The real opportunity with LLMs is in their ability to empower hyper-specialized software products, precisely tailored to specific use-cases or niche requirements.
Before LLMs, such specialized solutions weren't always economically viable due to the high upfront cost in developer time.
Now, we're free to create tightly focused, custom solutions without hesitation.
The implication is clear: the traditional SaaS model, generalized, broad, and bloated, is dead.
Long live the new SaaS, hyper-specific, efficient, and tailored precisely to individual user needs.
Ultimately, LLMs don't eliminate the need for thoughtful engineering, they elevate it.
They allow us to obsess over customers, iterate faster based on precise feedback, and deliver highly personalized value that genuinely resonates with users.
Embracing this fundamental shift ensures we're building exactly what users need, exactly when they need it.
On one side, there's fear or excitement that they're rapidly replacing every job imaginable.
On the other, dismissal of LLMs as nothing but “fancy autocorrect” or “lying machines.”
Both extremes miss the practical reality software engineers are currently experiencing.
For software engineers, the truth is neither sensational nor dismissive.
LLMs have fundamentally altered how we write, test, and ship code, not by replacing developers outright but by transforming the economics and practicality of code production.
Whats genuinely new, and critically important, is that LLMs enable engineers to rapidly generate “throwaway code”, functionally correct, immediately valuable snippets of code that would previously have taken too much time or effort.
This shift means we no longer have to commit significant resources to every line written, nor do we need extensive general-purpose solutions that often become bloated and unwieldy.
Yet even modern companies are falling into the old trap, using LLMs simply to enhance traditional “one-size-fits-all” SaaS products.
They attempt to create broad solutions that cater to everyone but satisfy no one fully.
Rather than recognizing and embracing the fundamental shift, they replicate past mistakes, layering new technology onto outdated business models.
The real opportunity with LLMs is in their ability to empower hyper-specialized software products, precisely tailored to specific use-cases or niche requirements.
Before LLMs, such specialized solutions weren't always economically viable due to the high upfront cost in developer time.
Now, we're free to create tightly focused, custom solutions without hesitation.
The implication is clear: the traditional SaaS model, generalized, broad, and bloated, is dead.
Long live the new SaaS, hyper-specific, efficient, and tailored precisely to individual user needs.
Ultimately, LLMs don't eliminate the need for thoughtful engineering, they elevate it.
They allow us to obsess over customers, iterate faster based on precise feedback, and deliver highly personalized value that genuinely resonates with users.
Embracing this fundamental shift ensures we're building exactly what users need, exactly when they need it.