Historical technology analogies are useful, but they may understate how quickly AI can change the work around it. Part 3 of 3 in The Future of Software Engineering When Code Becomes Cheap. Whenever people talk about AI and employment, someone eventually reaches for the history of electricity, computers, or the internet. I understand why. Every major technology shift has produced
AI is not only changing entry-level software work. It is challenging the way engineers learn from low-risk tasks, code review, production support, and repeated exposure to real systems.
As AI reduces the labour required to produce software, the scarce work moves toward architecture, security, verification, domain understanding, and accountability.
Why deep platform expertise should become a foundation for broader enterprise architecture, not a permanent boundary. This article is part of the Modernizing The Enterprise Platform series, which uses Salesforce as the evidence base for a broader discussion about enterprise architecture, AI, data, integration, identity, security, governance, DevOps, and operating models in mature enterprise platforms. My Summer ’26 Salesforce security