As the cost of producing code approaches zero, previously uneconomic ideas become not only possible but necessary to stand out in a sea of slop. Engineering will remain a vital craft, yet developers must confront the commoditization of what was once their specialty. The savviest will shift from production to articulation and orchestration—combining taste, judgment, and the ability to amplify signal as the noise deafens.
Chris Messina—the product strategist who invented the hashtag, built early developer platforms at Google and Uber, and now coaches AI-native founders on go-to-market and launch strategy—explores how generative models are transforming software from exclusive craft to popular medium.
As software becomes disposable, we must rethink what industry we’re in. The future developer looks less like a Big Tech tech bro and more like a chef, record producer, or architect: shaping experiences where taste, culture, and iteration amplify value.
Chris Messina is a product designer, strategist, and investor known for inventing the hashtag and helping define the modern social web. He’s built developer ecosystems at Google and Uber, launched thousands of products on Product Hunt, and invests in vertical AI through the Ride Home AI Fund. Chris speaks globally on AI, design, and the future of human-machine interaction, helping builders thrive in the generative era — where taste is leverage, and code is no longer scarce.
