10. Final Episode. Embracing AI, Not Embracing Speed, But Embracing Reality

The Trap of Speed and the Recalibration of Cognition

In the past nine articles, we have analyzed various aspects of engineering management in the AI era. From AI’s disruption of execution efficiency to the rise of small teams, from the revaluation of full-stack engineers to the survival path of junior engineers, to the negative productivity AI might bring and the high expectation trap managers must fight against, and finally focusing on the humanity and responsibility that AI can never change.

Throughout the series, we have been fighting a deep-seated illusion: “Linear Acceleration Illusion”. We tried repeatedly to clarify the essential difference of “Demo ≠ System ≠ Product”. We reminded ourselves that AI’s greatest destructive power is not replacing engineers, but creating cognitive illusions.

These cognitive recalibrations might sound like “pouring cold water” or slowing down everyone’s excitement about the AI revolution. But quite the opposite, this is precisely to allow us to embrace this unprecedented technological revolution more soberly and effectively.

AI: Amplifier, Not Steering Wheel

Returning to that summary in our eighth article: AI is an amplifier, not a steering wheel; the manager’s duty is to ensure the direction is not hijacked by speed.

This sentence constitutes our core philosophy for understanding the role of AI in management.

• AI is an Amplifier: It can execute correct decisions with ultra-high efficiency, and it can also spread wrong instructions at amazing speed. It amplifies the ability of every individual, and also amplifies the team’s communication costs and the system’s technical debt.
• AI is not a Steering Wheel: It has no goals, no values, no ethical judgment. It will only move forward at the fastest speed along the instructions you give. As for whether this direction is correct, or whether it can reach the destination, AI couldn’t care less.

This means that in the AI era, the value of the “Steering Wheel” has been infinitely amplified.

True Competitiveness: Judgment, Choice, and Responsibility

When AI takes over almost all “execution” work, what can we humans still do?

The thinking of the entire series points to the core competitiveness of humans in the AI era:

1. Judgment:
   • Identifying what is noise and what is signal amidst massive information and AI-generated options.
   • Weighing pros and cons among multiple seemingly reasonable solutions, and choosing the path that best fits business goals and long-term strategy.
   • This requires deep industry experience, insight into human nature, and critical thinking.
2. Choice:
   • This is not just a technical choice, but a strategic trade-off.
   • Choosing to do the right thing with limited resources, rather than doing everything.
   • AI can give all possibilities, but only humans can perform meaningful “elimination”.
3. Responsibility:
   • Being responsible for the judgments and choices made, and accepting all consequences they bring.
   • This is a trait that silicon-based life can never possess, and it is the cornerstone of the operation of human society.
   • Especially when facing possible “High Quality Errors” from AI, the human spirit of bearing responsibility is crucial.

These are core capabilities that transcend technology and point directly to humanity. They define why we remain irreplaceable in the face of AI.

Embracing Reality: Becoming a Sober Driver

The arrival of the AI era does not mean “lying flat” or “leaving everything to AI”. It requires us to become a more sober, rational, and insightful driver.

• Soberly Recognize AI’s Boundaries: It is not a panacea and cannot solve all problems.
• Rationally Assess AI’s Risks: It can accelerate productivity, and it can also accelerate technical debt.
• Bravely Make Human Judgments: Among the options provided by AI, make your choice and bear responsibility for it.

We no longer need to rote memorize countless APIs and frameworks, but we need to understand more deeply “How systems work”, “How people think”, and “How business creates value”.

Final Summary

Let us use that philosophical summary from the opening outline of the series to put a period to this journey of redefining engineering management in the AI era:

The AI era no longer rewards “the person who knows the most,” but rewards “the person who knows best what to do, what not to do, and is willing to bear the consequences.”

This is a sincere suggestion to all managers, all engineers, and everyone in this revolution. Embracing AI means embracing a brand new reality that is more complex, more efficient, and also requires human wisdom to calibrate the direction.