My second favorite engineer (he knows who he is) sent me the below meme the other day. It got me thinking—AI sure speeds things up, but at what cost? Does faster always mean better, or are we just racking up tech debt, laying down tracks without knowing where they lead?
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has led many businesses and professionals to explore how it can be leveraged for efficiency. In the website development space, AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs) are being used to generate code, automate design, and even create entire websites with minimal human input. While these capabilities are impressive, there’s a dangerous assumption that AI can fully replace human expertise in technical trades.
The reality is that AI is a tool—one that should serve people, not replace them. Just like power tools didn’t make carpenters obsolete and calculators didn’t send mathematicians packing, AI isn’t about replacing experts—it’s about making them even more effective. Let’s take a look at why handing over the reins entirely to AI might not be the best idea, especially when it comes to technical work.
Technology Should Serve, Not Replace, People
Picture this: you walk into a restaurant, and instead of a friendly face greeting you, a machine spits out a generic menu recommendation based on an algorithm trained on thousands of previous orders. Efficient? Sure. Personal? Not so much. People don’t just want functionality; they want experiences, connections, and intentional design.
Now, apply that same logic to web development. A website built entirely by AI may seem like a cost-effective option, but will it truly serve the people using it? AI lacks the ability to grasp human nuance, and when you let it drive UX and design decisions, it’s more likely to serve machines better than humans. The risk? A world of websites that are technically sound but soulless—sites that check all the boxes except the one that really matters: making an impact on the actual people using them.
technically sound but soulless
History is full of examples of technological arms races between human ingenuity and machine learning. Take SEO, for instance. Over the last 20 years, business owners and search algorithms have been in a constant tug-of-war—SEO firms trying to outsmart the machines to boost visibility, while search engines continuously refine their algorithms, not to beat the SEO firms but to better serve humans. The ultimate goal isn’t to game the system—it’s to make sure people actually find what they’re looking for.
The fact that these algorithms are always evolving proves that human nature isn’t static. AI, trained on yesterday’s data, will always struggle to keep up with today’s needs and tomorrow’s trends. Instead of merely feeding the bots what we think they want, SEO firms (and anyone leveraging AI for business) would do better to understand the current mood of real people—because at the end of the day, it’s not the algorithm that buys a product, reads an article, or hires a service. It’s a human.
AI, trained on yesterday’s data, will always struggle to keep up with today’s needs
AI is like a really smart parrot—it can repeat what it’s learned, but it’s not coming up with new ideas on its own. These models are trained on existing data, meaning they’re great at regurgitating what’s already been done but struggle to truly innovate. As my granddad used to say, “A chicken never gave birth to a turtle.” AI will never spontaneously create something outside of what it’s been trained to know.
That’s a problem when it comes to building new technology. The best developers don’t just write code—they solve problems, adapt to new challenges, and create original solutions. AI, on the other hand, is just remixing existing knowledge. This is why businesses relying entirely on AI-built solutions end up with generic, uninspired results. You need humans to push the boundaries and think beyond the dataset.
AI is Best Used as an Assistant, Not an Autonomous Worker
There’s a fine line between using AI as a helpful assistant and letting it take the wheel. A while back, an unnamed firm (we’ll keep their dignity intact) decided to rely a little too heavily on Co-Pilot to generate code logic. The result? A Frankenstein-like mess of nested overrides, conflicting conditions, and a labyrinth of redundant logic. What should’ve been a simple formula turned into a debugging nightmare, costing hours upon hours of lost time—and a heavy refactor of core systems.
This is where human expertise shines. Experienced engineers don’t just write code; they create stable, maintainable solutions. They understand when a problem needs a simple fix and when it requires deeper architecture changes. AI might be able to generate working code, but troubleshooting a convoluted AI-generated system? That’s an entirely different beast. True professionals know how to navigate complexity without creating unnecessary tech debt, something AI simply can’t do on its own.
What Does This Mean?
AI and automation can provide incredible efficiencies, but the notion that AI can fully replace human expertise in technical trades is misguided. The best results come from a synergy between AI-driven automation and human intelligence. AI lacks the ability to think critically, make strategic decisions, and innovate beyond existing patterns—all essential qualities in website development and other technical professions.
Instead of viewing AI as a shortcut to eliminating human involvement, businesses should embrace it as a tool that empowers professionals to work smarter and more effectively. Just like a skilled carpenter uses a nail gun instead of a hammer but still needs to measure twice and cut once, AI is best deployed as an assistant—not a replacement. By keeping people at the center of technology, companies will create not just functional solutions, but meaningful, high-quality digital experiences that truly serve their audiences.
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