Grief and the AI Split

A developer with 40+ years of experience reflects on the emotional and professional impact of AI-assisted coding. He argues that AI tools are exposing a pre-existing divide between developers who value the craft of writing code and those who are primarily motivated by outcomes. His own grief isn't about losing the act of coding itself, but about broader shifts in the web ecosystem and career landscape. He distinguishes between two types of grief developers may feel—loss of craft vs. loss of context—and suggests recognizing which type you're experiencing is the first step toward adapting.