Source: Refactoring
The argument runs counterintuitive: AI commoditizes junior work (boilerplate, routine implementations), which increases the relative value of engineers who can architect systems, mentor others, and own outcomes—precisely what companies should hire juniors to eventually become. Rather than obsoleting entry-level positions, AI eliminates the grunt work that made those roles rote, forcing companies to either invest in actual development pipelines or face a permanent senior talent shortage as the pipeline breaks.