The Age of the Generalist
AI accelerates routine tasks but lacks architectural judgment—the future belongs to high-agency generalists who identify problems and drive solutions without waiting for direction.
Core Argument
The shift toward generalism preceded AI but accelerates with it. Teams already hire full-stack developers instead of splitting frontend and backend roles. Startups require developers who wear multiple hats. AI amplifies this trend by commoditizing specialist tasks like boilerplate generation and scaffolding.
The High Agency Factor
AI replaces passive workers, not proactive builders. The key differentiator becomes "high agency"—self-direction, initiative, and problem-solving without explicit instruction. Specialists who wait for tickets will struggle. Generalists who identify what matters and act on it will thrive.
The Leonardo Model
Renaissance polymaths like da Vinci embody the ideal: curious across disciplines, self-directed in learning, hands-on in creation. This mindset—broad exploration combined with active building—defines success in the AI era.
Key Insight
AI lacks architectural judgment. It cannot distinguish good patterns from poor ones. The value shifts from writing code to knowing what code to write and why.
Connections
Explores themes parallel to 2025-the-year-in-llms and the automation patterns discussed in ralph-wiggum-as-a-software-engineer.