During a gold rush, sell shovels

You've probably heard the saying "during a gold rush, sell shovels." It's all about how the smart money in the California Gold Rush wasn't in panning for gold, but in selling supplies to the prospectors. Fast forward to today, and we're seeing a similar gold rush in tech, especially with AI.

Web development has been hot for a while now. Bootcamps popping up left and right, promising six-figure salaries and cool jobs. But let's be real - it's getting crowded out there. And now AI is shaking things up even more.

So, what's a savvy web developer to do? Think like those shovel sellers of old!

Instead of trying to build the next big website or app, why not create the tools that make other developers' lives easier? We're talking about stuff like slick fullstacks frameworks or JavaScript libraries that simplify complexity. Maybe it's a CLI tool that automates the boring parts of setting up a new project, or a VS Code extension that supercharges productivity. There's always room for better dev tools - someone's gotta build the stuff that makes building stuff easier, right?

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But what about all these tech layoffs? Isn't AI coming for our jobs?" Yeah, it's tough out there. Big tech is tightening its belt, and AI is definitely changing the game for a lot of white-collar work, including some dev jobs.

But here's the thing - change always brings opportunity. Maybe it's time to level up your skills in areas that play nice with AI, like data engineering. Or double down on the stuff AI isn't so great at yet, like creative problem-solving or working well with humans.

The bottom line? The tech world's changing fast, but if you stay flexible and keep an eye out for those "shovel-selling" opportunities, you can still strike gold in this AI rush. Just remember - sometimes it pays to be the one supplying the tools rather than joining the mob rushing for gold.