Retire or jump on the AI train?

 

I recently had a friend ask why, with retirement looming, I wasn’t simply playing more pickleball. It’s a fair question—I certainly enjoy playing—but truthfully, I’ve never been more excited professionally than I am right now. Why? Because AI agents are set to become this year’s defining technological trend, reshaping industries and offering unprecedented opportunities.

In my view, we’re witnessing the first “agentic” wave, where AI-driven agents become integral to both business operations and creative endeavors. These aren’t just stand-alone tools; they’re a fusion of automation, machine learning, and large language models (LLMs), all wrapped into streamlined, powerful solutions. As countries and tech giants—from the U.S. to China—compete in the rapidly advancing AI and LLM space, innovation is accelerating at an extraordinary pace.

One area I’m particularly excited about is the emergence of microservices leveraging AI. Imagine niche services capable of producing deep fakes or automated, personalized content generation—each a small, focused digital powerhouse driving engagement and growth. Picture an automated marketing engine continuously refining its messaging, content, and targeting in real-time. That’s the potential we’re tapping into.

Yet, as compelling as these microservices are, the real impact comes from embedding AI directly into the applications and platforms we already use. For instance, imagine a CRM platform that doesn’t merely store customer data but actively discovers potential leads, automates Q&A, and even suggests personalized strategies based on real-time analytics. I believe this wave will be driven primarily by agile startups and domain experts rather than incumbent tech giants, precisely because AI allows smaller teams to iterate quickly and effectively.

Contrary to common fears that AI might eliminate jobs—especially software engineering roles—I see AI as a powerful collaborator, not a competitor. It’s a transformative force that enables professionals to do more creative, strategic, and impactful work. Watching tools like Cursor and Claude Sonnet rapidly transform an idea into working code is thrilling. It reminds me vividly of the early excitement in the 90s when we built an app allowing musicians to take live concert photos and upload them instantly to their websites—a moment of clarity when technology felt truly magical.

Right now feels similar, only exponentially accelerated. Instead of looking at AI as a threat, I’m focused on how quickly we can move from ideas to practical solutions, unlocking creativity and efficiency that previously felt unattainable. This is genuinely the most exciting time of my career, and while some might suggest I spend more time playing pickleball, I’d rather be catching the speeding train of AI innovation before it passes by.