R&D Nihilism in the AI Era: The Death of the Middle Layer and the Twilight of the Software Ecosystem
Exploring "R&D Nihilism" among full-stack engineers in the AI wave, and predicting the imminent demise of the "middle layer" in the software ecosystem.
As my usage of AI has deepened, an indescribable emotion has gradually crept up on me during late nights in front of the screen—a feeling I've come to call "R&D Nihilism".
As a full-stack engineer, I used to take immense pride in my technical ability to build complex systems from scratch. But under the current, almost unreasonably powerful assault of AI, the code, architectures, and optimizations I once poured my heart and soul into mastering now seem increasingly irrelevant. I've gradually come to realize a slightly cruel truth: in the near future, the role of "R&D Engineer" might no longer be needed.
As long as you have a good idea, you can simply rely on your intuition to write prompts, continuously "vibe" with the AI, and effortlessly mold a product into existence. The technical chasm that once lay between an "idea" and its "implementation" is being filled by AI at an unbelievable speed. And we, the former "guides" across this chasm, seem to be facing the fate of being laid off.
The Lightning-Fast Exit of the Coding Era
Reflecting on the golden age of the internet, being at the eye of the information explosion meant that the title of "coder" (or "code monkey"), despite carrying a hint of self-deprecation, was undeniably glorious. The favor of capital, the allure of high salaries, and the geeky dream of changing the world once endowed this profession with a natural halo.
Who could have expected that in just a few short years, faced with this massive wave called AGI, we would face such a crushing defeat, entirely incapable of fighting back.
On second thought, however, this might not be entirely a bad thing. In this industry of day-in and day-out exhaustion, I had already been nursing the idea of early retirement. The aggressive takeover by AI might just be accelerating this process. Since the tide is irreversible, why not see it as an opportunity to gracefully bow out, preserve oneself, and fully embrace life as it is?
The End of the Software Ecosystem: Reaching "Atomized Needs"
Beyond my career reflections, I've recently developed a rather bold idea about AI on a medium-to-long-term time scale: "We might no longer need the software ecosystem at all."
Let's trace things back to their essence: when a user downloads a shopping app, their original intention is not to "use the software" but to "buy things." When we open a search engine, it's not to admire the web interface, but to "get answers." For a long time, due to technological limitations, we had no choice but to endure complex intermediate ecosystems—software, websites, apps—to indirectly fulfill our ultimate goals.
But in the near future, this underlying logic will be fundamentally restructured. We could fulfill our needs directly through AI, bypassing all intermediate steps entirely.
When human demands are compressed to their absolute extremes, the foundational logic of business models will also undergo a dramatic transformation. Those SaaS providers, API vendors, and even foundational data providers that previously operated mostly behind the scenes, strictly focused on serving businesses (ToB), will see a shift. In the future, when AI becomes the ultimate, singular gateway, these underlying capability providers will no longer need B2C software developers serving as middlemen. Instead, they will bridge their services directly to end users.
Wait and See
In this grand vision, the omniscient AI personal assistant will act like a sharp blade, piercing through all intermediate layers to directly reach the specific, atomized needs of the user.
No more tedious registrations, no more complex UI interactions, no more painful hopping between different apps. Your intention will be the command, and your need will be the direct result.
This is an era that is both terrifying and incredibly fascinating. The exit of the engineers might be exactly what signifies the arrival of a truly great era of creation. Regardless of the emotions we carry as we face it, the direction of the tide can no longer be altered.
Regarding all of this, let us simply wait and see.