AI is restructuring engineering teams. A future model involves a small group of senior engineers defining processes and reviewing code, while AI and junior engineers handle production. This raises a critical question: how will junior engineers develop into senior architects in this new paradigm?

The traditional, linear handoff from product (PRDs) to design to dev is too slow for AI's rapid iteration cycles. Leading companies merge these roles into smaller, senior teams where design and product deliver functional prototypes directly to engineering, collapsing the feedback loop and accelerating development.

The most potent productivity gains from AI aren't just for junior staff. Seasoned professionals who combine deep domain expertise with adaptability are using AI to rapidly learn adjacent skills like design or marketing. This allows them to "collapse the skill stack" and single-handedly perform tasks that previously required multiple people.

Don't think of AI as replacing roles. Instead, envision a new organizational structure where every human employee manages a team of their own specialized AI agents. This model enhances individual capabilities without eliminating the human team, making everyone more effective.

To adapt to AI-driven workflows, Microsoft's LinkedIn combined product managers, designers, and engineers into a single "full stack builder" role. This structural change eliminates communication bottlenecks and empowers individuals to leverage AI tools for end-to-end product development, drastically increasing speed.

The traditional tech team structure of separate product, engineering, and design roles is becoming obsolete. AI startups favor small teams of 'polymaths'—T-shaped builders who can contribute across disciplines. This shift values broad, hands-on capability over deep specialization for most early-stage roles.

AI reverses the long-standing trend of professional hyper-specialization. By providing instant access to specialist knowledge (e.g., coding in an unfamiliar language), AI tools empower individuals to operate as effective generalists. This allows small, agile teams to achieve more without hiring a dedicated expert for every function.

Instead of replacing junior hires, AI creates a new opportunity: empower high-agency junior talent with powerful AI tools. This strategy creates a force-multiplier effect, allowing a small, specialized team to achieve outsized results by giving them "nuclear power" to tackle complex problems.

Shift from departments staffed with people to a single owner who directs AI agents, automations, and robotics to achieve outcomes. This structure maximizes leverage and efficiency, replacing the old model of "throwing bodies" at problems.