I’m a software engineer based in Japan, currently working at a health-tech startup and building a side project called SmoothCSV (a CSV editor).
Recently, I’ve been feeling a deep sense of restlessness. While AI coding agents have made my daily development incredibly efficient, I’ve started to realize that the act of "making" itself—the part where I found my identity and joy—is rapidly becoming a commodity.
A turning point for me was seeing AI agents build an Excel alternative using the exact same design patterns I spent two years refining. It made me wonder: what is left for us when the "craft" is automated away?
I’ve translated my personal thoughts from Japanese because I believe this shift from being a "maker" to an "AI caretaker" is a journey many of us are navigating right now. I’d love to hear how others in the community are processing this change in our craft.
Hi HN,
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, currently working at a health-tech startup and building a side project called SmoothCSV (a CSV editor).
Recently, I’ve been feeling a deep sense of restlessness. While AI coding agents have made my daily development incredibly efficient, I’ve started to realize that the act of "making" itself—the part where I found my identity and joy—is rapidly becoming a commodity.
A turning point for me was seeing AI agents build an Excel alternative using the exact same design patterns I spent two years refining. It made me wonder: what is left for us when the "craft" is automated away?
I’ve translated my personal thoughts from Japanese because I believe this shift from being a "maker" to an "AI caretaker" is a journey many of us are navigating right now. I’d love to hear how others in the community are processing this change in our craft.