"What are the 3 types of developers when it comes to AI?"

"The three types are: (1) AI Refusers - developers who don't use AI tools at all due to skepticism, pride, or resistance to change; (2) AI Tourists - developers who use AI like a faster Google, copy-pasting into ChatGPT but not integrating it into their workflow; (3) AI-Native Developers - developers who design their entire workflow around AI, integrating tools like Claude Code, Copilot, and Gemini CLI into everything they do. Only the third type is positioned to thrive in the evolving software landscape."

"What is an AI-Native developer and how do they work differently?"

"AI-Native developers build their entire workflow around AI tools. They don't just use AI as a search engine - they integrate Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, and other AI tools into every aspect of their development process. They use AI to summarize large files, explain complex functions, generate scripts to understand data better, and accelerate their onboarding and problem-solving. They treat AI as a partner that translates chaos into understandable knowledge."

"How long does it take to onboard with AI tools versus without them?"

"Traditionally, ramping up in a complex codebase with an unfamiliar tech stack would take a couple of months minimum to become fully productive. With AI tools, developers are now going from 'where is the repo?' to helping teams with non-trivial tasks in just a couple of weeks. The multiplication effect of AI on a normal, decent engineer is reducing onboarding time from months to weeks."

"Why are AI Refusers falling behind?"

"AI Refusers who don't use AI tools at all are falling behind because the gap between developers who use AI and those who refuse is becoming enormous. The friction that used to take months - reading endless documentation, chasing down senior developers, hunting for knowledge trapped in people's heads - now disappears with AI assistance. Developers who ignore this shift won't be slightly behind; they'll be so far behind they won't be visible."

"Which AI tools should developers integrate into their workflow?"

"Developers should consider integrating tools like Claude Code for conversational coding assistance and codebase understanding, GitHub Copilot for intelligent code completion, ChatGPT for problem-solving and explanation, Codex for code generation, and Gemini CLI for command-line AI assistance. The key is not just having these tools, but integrating them into your entire development workflow rather than using them occasionally."

"How can I become an AI-Native developer?"

"To become AI-Native, start integrating AI tools into your entire workflow, not just using them as a faster search engine. Use AI to understand codebases, summarize complex files, explain unfamiliar functions, and generate scripts for data analysis. Don't be afraid to ask AI questions you'd normally be scared to ask colleagues. Build your development process around AI assistance, making it a core partner in your work rather than an occasional helper."

"Will AI replace developers who don't use AI tools?"

"AI won't replace all developers, but AI is amplifying the developers who choose to use it. The real message is that the gap between developers who use AI and developers who refuse AI is going to be bigger than ever. AI-Native developers are shipping value faster, onboarding quicker, and solving problems more efficiently. The question isn't whether AI will replace you, but whether you'll be amplified by it or left behind."

3 Types of Developers. Only One Will Survive.

The Observation

I recently watched a new graduate join a team. Fresh out of school. Zero real-world experience. Zero familiarity with the codebase or tech stack.

That’s typical—every new hire starts there.

What wasn’t typical: he went from “where is the repo?” to helping the team with non-trivial tasks in just a couple of weeks. Not months. Weeks.

What Changed

Twenty years ago, ramping up in a complex codebase with an unfamiliar tech stack took a minimum of a couple of months to become fully productive. That was normal. Nobody expected you to be fully functional in weeks.

This developer wasn’t a genius or a 10x engineer. Reasonably smart, good energy, willing to learn. If the candidate pool had been larger, he probably wouldn’t have stood out. He was okay.

But instead of being stuck or waiting for senior developers to help him, he started chatting with the codebase. Using AI tools to summarize large files, explain unfamiliar functions, and generate scripts to understand data better. He wasn’t starting from zero—he had a partner translating the chaos into something manageable.

The friction that used to define onboarding just disappeared. The endless wiki pages, scattered documentation, hunting down busy senior developers for explanations, accepting that half the knowledge you needed was trapped in someone’s head—all of it bypassed.

The multiplication effect of AI on a normal, decent engineer is real.

The 3 Types of Developers

This experience clarified something I’ve been observing across the industry. Developers now fall into three distinct groups:

AI Refusers don’t use AI tools at all. Whether it’s skepticism, pride, or resistance to change, they’re sitting this shift out entirely.

AI Tourists use AI, but superficially. They copy-paste into ChatGPT when stuck, get an answer, and move on. AI is just a faster search engine to them—nothing more.

AI-Native Developers design their entire workflow around AI. Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI—these tools are integrated into everything they do. They build with AI, not just alongside it.

The new hire I observed wasn’t in the first or second group. He was fully AI-Native, treating AI as a core part of his development process.

What This Means

The fundamental job hasn’t changed: ship value, translate business problems into code. But the approach has. It’s now about shipping value with AI and translating problems with AI.

The gap between developers who integrate AI and those who refuse is about to become enormous. This isn’t about being slightly behind—it’s about being so far behind you won’t be visible.

AI won’t replace all developers. But it’s amplifying the developers who choose to use it. The question isn’t whether AI will replace you. It’s whether you’ll be amplified by it or left behind.

Watch the Video

I also shared this perspective in video format:

The Observation#

What Changed#

The 3 Types of Developers#

What This Means#

Watch the Video#

The Observation

What Changed

The 3 Types of Developers

What This Means

Watch the Video