I keep saying over and over that ChatGPT (or LLM AI in general) as it is currently isn't a concern for software developers and I finally found a good example:
View: https://twitter.com/charlierward/status/1638303596595892224
Here's a twitter thread of a startup founder who used ChatGPT to make a chrome extension in 45 minutes, with no development experience.
"Oh Skroob, you brilliant yet vexing raconteur," you may say. "That's scary! He's never coded in his life, and now look at him! Shipping bits like a CodeAcademy valedictorian (a thing that I assume exists)!"
While this may be true, my sad hypothetical strawman, take a look at what he built. It's a chrome extension that "displays new marketing quotes with each new tab" on his startup's website. From a developer's standpoint, this is effectively trivial. A pre-written database of quotes, and the code to pick one at random and spit it out.
Don't get me wrong, it's cool that he's able to do this. It puts the basic concepts in the hands of anyone, so they don't have to pay guys like me obscene amounts of money to do it for them. But if you're building your business on the back of writing trivial apps... you don't really have a business, you have a house of cards. Business of cards? Anyway.
I use AI tools a LOT. ChatGPT helped me write this post ("what's the word for a pretend person who has intentionally bad arguments you can easily refute"), and it's been super valuable in helping me flesh out business concepts. Github Copilot is a great example too: it helps me write the boilerplate kind of code that I can write but would rather not, because my actual job is solving complex problems.
Developers should be using this stuff as a tool. If it takes your job, you weren't good at it anyway. If it takes your business, you weren't really bringing enough value to the table.
View: https://twitter.com/charlierward/status/1638303596595892224
Here's a twitter thread of a startup founder who used ChatGPT to make a chrome extension in 45 minutes, with no development experience.
"Oh Skroob, you brilliant yet vexing raconteur," you may say. "That's scary! He's never coded in his life, and now look at him! Shipping bits like a CodeAcademy valedictorian (a thing that I assume exists)!"
While this may be true, my sad hypothetical strawman, take a look at what he built. It's a chrome extension that "displays new marketing quotes with each new tab" on his startup's website. From a developer's standpoint, this is effectively trivial. A pre-written database of quotes, and the code to pick one at random and spit it out.
Don't get me wrong, it's cool that he's able to do this. It puts the basic concepts in the hands of anyone, so they don't have to pay guys like me obscene amounts of money to do it for them. But if you're building your business on the back of writing trivial apps... you don't really have a business, you have a house of cards. Business of cards? Anyway.
I use AI tools a LOT. ChatGPT helped me write this post ("what's the word for a pretend person who has intentionally bad arguments you can easily refute"), and it's been super valuable in helping me flesh out business concepts. Github Copilot is a great example too: it helps me write the boilerplate kind of code that I can write but would rather not, because my actual job is solving complex problems.
Developers should be using this stuff as a tool. If it takes your job, you weren't good at it anyway. If it takes your business, you weren't really bringing enough value to the table.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
