AI makes knowledge cheaper, but judgment remains the scarce skill
_jaydeepkarale · x · 2026-07-27
The author argues that AI has changed the value of memory in engineering work, but not the value of judgment.
- They used to take pride in remembering APIs, language features, and obscure commands.
- Now they look things up immediately, and see that as a net positive.
- AI can explain Kubernetes, write SQL, or summarize papers, but it cannot decide whether the output is right for a real production environment.
- The conclusion: knowledge is getting cheaper, while judgment remains scarce.
The post predicts that the standout engineers of the next decade will be the ones who ask better questions, spot bad answers, and make good decisions with incomplete information.
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