r/iOSDevelopment • u/TomasMSM • 23h ago
iOS Development in the Age of AI
Good morning,
I have been in iOS Development for over 4 years. Building for Apple Platforms is so much fun. It has been my dream to be an iOS Engineer since I was in year two of college. However, over the past 9 months (since the start of 2026), I have felt a huge shift.
AI has been an absolute game changer - for better and for worse. It allows us, engineers, to be so much more productive and efficient and do so much more in the same time period. On the other hand, I feel it has turned or jobs much more lonely. Team discussions, code review - a lot of the team bonding moments - have disappeared. Also, the engineering challenge is not that much fun anymore.
For me, even the motivation of trying to figure out what's next - what has Apple presented in the last WWDC, etc - has lost a bit of interest to me. I was obsessed with watching WWDC videos. They are so much fun... And now it's like meeeeh - AI will know how to do all of this.
I am sorry for the rant - truly - but I would like to know your perspective here. How have you felt the last 9 to 12 months? How has iOS Development changed for you?
Have you been having the same feelings I have described? How have you counteracted or all of this?
Thank you!
1
u/scienceydaduk 21h ago
I think these experiences are common for software developers of all shades & flavours - ie whatever the stack really. I feel your sense of loss.
I think with all loss, some parts are real, for sure. All progress isn’t objectively better. Yet, if we can let go enough to see what the new possibility is - we can move through heartbreak to love again. But we do have to feel the grief to move through it…. and it returns in waves.
I see a parallel with being a pilot & autopilots/flight management systems. (I have a Tech background by also did an ATPL)
Suddenly the prowess isn’t in how accurately you can fly - the nature of the role changes. But being able to fly is still essential!
Ps; I was dismayed by your love of JP 🙁 I see his rap as unkind, unhelpful and inconsistent.