Freelance Developer Survival Strategy in the AI Era

Dev
·Dante Chun

"Don't we not need developers anymore? AI does everything now."

I hear this often from clients these days. They say ChatGPT writes code for them, or that you can build apps without developers using Cursor. Whenever I hear this, I feel a bit bitter, but I also understand where they're coming from.

As someone who's been doing freelance development for five years, I've organized my thoughts on how AI is changing this industry and how we need to adapt.

Undeniable Change

Let's be honest. AI has dramatically increased development productivity. I use it every day.

Before, when using a new library, I'd dig through official documentation, search Stack Overflow, and hunt for example code. Now I just ask Claude. "I want to implement this feature with this library, how do I do it?" and code comes out immediately.

Repetitive code, boilerplate, simple CRUD features. AI churns these out in seconds. Work that used to take a day now finishes in an hour.

This is a good thing. My productivity went up. But it's also scary. The value of developers who can only do simple coding is dropping rapidly.

Client Expectations Have Changed

Before, the fact that "a developer writes code" itself was expertise. Clients didn't understand development, so they couldn't imagine how complex a developer's work was.

Now it's different. Clients use ChatGPT too. Questions like "I asked AI and it said to do it this way?" come in. Some even show AI-generated code asking "Can't we just use this as-is?"

Naturally, expectations about pricing have changed too. "Why do you charge so much for something AI does in seconds?" You need to be able to answer this question.

Things AI Cannot Do

So lately I focus on "what AI cannot do" rather than "what AI can do."

First, understanding context. AI answers questions well. But it can't figure out "what the real problem is." When a client says "make me a login feature," AI gives login code. But why login is needed, who the users are, what authentication method is appropriate—humans must judge these.

Second, designing the entire system. AI makes individual functions and components well. But how dozens of features should connect, how to ensure scalability, how to maintain it—these architecture-level decisions are still human territory.

Third, responsibility. Who's responsible if AI-generated code has bugs? Security vulnerabilities? Humans must verify and take responsibility. Clients won't accept "ChatGPT told me to" as an excuse.

Fourth, trust and communication. Projects aren't completed with code alone. Communicating with clients, coordinating schedules, proposing solutions when problems arise—only humans can do this.

Developers Who Use AI as a Tool

In conclusion, freelance developers in the AI era need to become people who use AI well.

Competing with AI means losing. You can't win on simple coding speed. But developers who leverage AI as a tool while doing the "things AI can't do" mentioned above actually increase in value.

Here's how I work these days:

  • Client meetings: Understanding requirements, defining real problems (human)
  • System design: Architecture decisions, tech stack selection (human)
  • Writing code: Together with AI, I verify (human + AI)
  • Testing/debugging: AI assists, but final responsibility is mine (human)
  • Client communication: Sharing progress, incorporating feedback (human)

Thanks to AI, code writing time has decreased. I use that time to communicate more with clients and think about better designs. I believe this is how developers create value in the AI era.

Price Competition Is Not the Answer

"Why is it expensive when AI does it?" Lowering prices isn't the answer to this question.

Instead, I answer like this: "I verify and take responsibility for AI-generated code. And while AI only gives code, I think together with you about making this service successful."

Ultimately, what clients want isn't working code but a successful product. AI can give code, but it can't guarantee product success. You need to be able to explain this difference.

Survival Strategy Going Forward

Honestly, I don't know what the freelance development market will look like in five years. If AI advances much further than now, the day might come when developers really aren't needed.

But until then, here's my thinking:

  1. Actively use AI. Rejecting or ignoring it means falling behind.
  2. Build expertise in areas AI can't handle. Design, communication, problem definition.
  3. Compete on value, not price. There are limits to being cheap.
  4. Prepare your own products. Freelancing is ultimately someone else's work. You need your own brand.

The last point is what I'm focusing on most these days. Maintaining livelihood through freelance development while simultaneously preparing products under my own name. It's not easy, but I think it's necessary preparation to survive as a developer in the AI era.

I hope this helps others with similar concerns.

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