With AI trivializing the mechanical act of writing code, the most valuable traits for emerging engineers are no longer just technical proficiency. Instead, employers will seek demonstrated agency (the drive to build), taste (knowing what to build), and a commitment to quality.

In a world where AI handles routine tasks, the most valuable human contribution is the initiative to solve problems independently. ElevenLabs prioritizes hiring for "agency," seeing it as the ultimate amplifier for an individual's impact, regardless of their seniority. High-agency people are the winners of the AI era.

As AI handles technical tasks, the value of hard skills diminishes. The most crucial employee traits become "human" qualities: buying into the company vision, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness. These are the new competitive advantages in talent acquisition.

When every company has access to the same powerful AI tools, the competitive advantage is no longer budget or technology. The real differentiator becomes human taste, judgment, and the ability to apply a unique point of view to guide the AI, separating average, generic output from exceptional work.

With AI commoditizing code generation, Expo cofounder Charlie Cheever hires for three non-technical traits: "taste" for good judgment, "high APM" (actions-per-minute) for effective speed, and "high agency" for overcoming obstacles to ship. These skills are crucial for building and releasing good software, which AI cannot yet handle.

With AI commoditizing the speed of output, the most valuable and defensible skill is a designer's innate taste and craft. Cash App's Head of Design prioritizes this "eye for good" over prestigious experience, noting it's the hardest quality to teach.

AI tools provide technical skills on demand. What truly matters now is an individual's "agency"—the belief that the world is malleable and the drive to change things. This trait separates those who thrive from those who fall behind in the age of AI.

With code becoming cheaper and faster to write thanks to AI, the critical differentiator is no longer the ability to build, but the judgment and taste to decide what is worth building among countless user requests and possibilities.

Notion skips mid-level hires, focusing on a "barbell" shape: junior engineers who are highly productive with AI tools and senior engineers who provide architectural direction and "taste," which AI lacks. This maximizes leverage and mentorship.