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The AI bubble will probably burst. And...the AI talent shift won’t.
There is a lot of talk right now about whether AI is turning into the next big tech bubble. Maybe it is. At least parts of it.
The valuations are wild. Companies are spending huge amounts on infrastructure. Almost every business now claims to have an AI strategy, even when the strategy seems to be adding a chatbot to a product nobody asked to chat with.
A lot of that is going to fall apart. A few startups will run out of money. Investors will start asking harder questions. Companies will shut down AI projects that looked great in a demo but never became useful enough to justify the cost.
What I don't see going away is the shift in technical talent.
From my seat as a recruiter and operator, companies are already changing what they expect from technical hires. They''re bringing in fewer people, but they want those people to cover more ground.
They want engineers who can use AI tools without becoming dependent on them. People who can move fast, but still know when the output is wrong. People who understand the product and the customer, not just their small piece of the codebase.
Now - That doesn't mean every software engineer needs to become an ML researcher. But it DOES mean saying “I have AI experience” is quickly becoming meaningless unless you can explain what you actually built, what improved, and what happened once it reached production.
The real work usually starts after the impressive demo. Can the system handle real users? Is the data clean enough? Is it secure? Is it affordable to run? What happens when the model confidently gives the wrong answer?That's where the long-term demand will be.
AI engineers will still matter, of course. So will strong infrastructure, platform, data, security, and reliability people. The best technical leaders are the ones who understand the technology without losing sight of why the business is paying for it in the first place.
An AI correction is happening and it's accelerating, but it won't bring technical hiring back to 2021.
Instead, everyone will be more disciplined about who they hire and why. This is great news for small businesses and service businesses, freelancers, and consultants as discipline and depth with our craft are areas we develop and nurture every day.
Maybe the real opportunity isn’t trying to outrun AI. Maybe it’s becoming the person clients trust to make it useful.
For freelancers and consultants, that trust may be more valuable than any tool in the stack.
What are you seeing in your own work?
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MOTIF — From Words to Pixels to Code
What if you could see your dream website before writing a single line of code, then turn that vision into something real?
That's why I built Motif, an AI-powered visual design and website creation studio, built on Base44.
We turn words into pixels. Then we turn those pixels into real HTML and CSS.
Most AI website builders take a prompt and immediately generate a website. You get what the AI decides, and often spend ages prompting, regenerating and fighting to get something that resembles what you originally imagined.
I wanted to change that.
Motif puts visual creativity before code.
You start by describing your idea in plain English. Motif explores different visual directions, generating concepts that let you actually see what's possible before committing to a design.
Once you find something you love, Motif transforms that approved visual into a real, responsive website built with HTML and CSS. Not a flattened image pretending to be a website, but actual editable elements.
And that's where Motif becomes more than an AI generator.
Inside the visual studio, you can select elements, change typography, colours, spacing, imagery and layouts, preview desktop and mobile versions, and refine the design without starting over.
One of my favourite features is Shuffle, which can dramatically reimagine a design's composition and styling, allowing you to explore new creative possibilities without writing another lengthy prompt.
I also wanted people to understand what Motif could do before signing up or waiting for AI generation. So I built a product-focused homepage featuring real application footage, an explainer video and editable sample projects visitors can explore.
Why I built it
I've spent years working across software development, 3D design and interactive experiences, and I've always been fascinated by the gap between having a creative vision and actually bringing it to life.
AI has made building software more accessible, but great design still requires exploration, experimentation and creative control.
I believe AI should expand your imagination, not replace your creativity.
Motif is my attempt to bring those worlds together: the freedom of visual design, the intelligence of AI and the flexibility of real web development.
It's designed for entrepreneurs, developers, designers and anyone who's ever had a great idea but struggled to make it look the way they imagined.
Built with Base44, Motif demonstrates how far a creative application can go beyond traditional no-code tools.
Motif isn't about generating another template. It's about making something unmistakably yours.
Imagine it. Shape it. Make it real.
#Base44Challenge
Great idea, great output Mellis - goated
AI-powered recruitment is powerful. But can recruiters truly trust it?
Meet HireWisey, an intelligent recruitment platform combining automated CV screening, AI interviews, and candidate matching.
Our biggest UX challenge? Building trust in AI.
We focused on making every AI-driven decision transparent, understandable, and easy to review, giving recruiters the confidence to rely on AI while staying in control.
Because great AI experiences aren’t just about automation. They’re about trust.
What do you think of the design?
42% of failed startups built something nobody needed.
That is from one CB Insights analysis of 101 founder post-mortems.
Not bad code. Not bad luck. Nobody needed it.
If you are building an AI product...this is the cheapest fix you will ever make...
Ask these 5 questions BEFORE you build...
1. Who exactly has this problem?
Everyone is not an answer. Name a job title.
2. How are they solving it today?
If they are not solving it at all, it may not hurt enough.
3. What does it cost them?
Hours, money or missed deals. Get a number.
4. Would they pay for a fix this month?
Ask for a pre-order or a pilot, not a compliment.
5. Who have you talked to this week?
Aim for 5 real conversations before writing a line of code.
Copy-paste prompt to prepare your interviews:
I am building [product] for [job title]. Write 10 customer interview questions that uncover how they solve [problem] today, what it costs them, and what they have already paid for. No leading questions.
Compliments do not validate a product.
Payments and pilots do.
Save this before your next build sprint.
Follow me to meet again
Daily learn with me (Maryam Tehsin)
Such an important reminder! 👏 It's easy to focus on building a product, but understanding the customer's real problem should always come first. Real feedback is worth more than compliments!