The Future of Web Development Belongs to Problem Solvers

The headlines are everywhere: large agencies and tech companies are cutting staff, citing budget pressures and new AI efficiencies. Last week, Fueled confirmed a 4–5% reduction in its workforce, with CEO Justin Livesay noting that “early AI influences” allowed some projects to be completed in much less time.

The economics of web development are shifting fast. I think back to the days when a freelancer could build a sustainable business delivering the bread-and-butter brochure site: text, images, and a contact form. Couple that with a monthly care plan and you could keep the lights on. Those days are gone.

Today’s tools make it easy for most businesses to spin up a basic site on their own if they are willing to invest a little time. That said, there will always be clients who prefer a professional to handle everything, no matter how sophisticated the tools get. But that pool of clients is getting smaller – the low end of the market is vanishing quickly.

Our survival as agencies does not hinge on technical skills alone. It depends on our ability to diagnose the real issue behind a client’s need, implement technology that actually solves it, and be a coach and counselor to the client throughout the process.

This is where AI can either be a disruptor or a multiplier. Jonathan Bossenger’s recent post on whether AI will replace developers makes a critical point: “At the end of the day, AI development tools are at their best when they are used as productivity aids — never as replacements for human expertise or oversight.” It’s a worthwhile read.

There is still plenty of room for agencies to thrive as we stand in the gap between business needs and technology. We can find a valuable place in mapping out solutions to real client problems, carefully evaluating whether AI’s output is correct, and implementing results that actually solve the issue at hand. Just as important, we have to translate the technical details into clear language that our clients can understand.

If all you know is web tech, the AI revolution may feel frightening – and rightly so! But if you can work with people, shape technology into real solutions, and support them through the process, then the future is bright.

FAIR 1.0 Begins a Decentralized Era for WordPress

• Last week, the FAIR project unveiled version 1.0, the first full release of decentralized WordPress package distribution.
• The FAIR plugin lets site owners install and update plugins from both WordPress.org and independent FAIR sources.
• It creates a complete working ecosystem where plugin discovery, trust, and installation are decentralized and verifiable while respecting GDPR and other regional privacy requirements.
• Plugin searches are now powered by AspireCloud from AspirePress, which aggregates plugins from multiple repositories.
• In addition, the Mini-FAIR Repo plugin allows developers to share their plugins directly from GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, or Bitbucket.
• Planet FAIR curates WordPress community news and events directly in the dashboard.
• Want to see how FAIR works for yourself? Just install the FAIR plugin.

ChatGPT Pulse Thinks While You Sleep

• ChatGPT has released Pulse, a new tool that researches behind the scenes and delivers personalized updates.
• Pulse considers your chats and connected apps (like email and calendar) and provides focused updates each morning about what matters to you.
• Pulse is currently available in preview to Pro members only, although ChatGPT has historically rolled out new features like these to Plus members later.
• Check out this 1 minute video overview.

Worth a Look

• Jamie Marsland has created Scrubber, a simple plugin that adds a nifty scroll-to-scrub effect to the cover block.
• ChatGPT may become ad-driven for free users as they seek to hire a paid marketing platform engineer.
• PPC Reports clients love – some great ideas from Mark Meyerson.
• TikTok stays alive in the US after a $14B deal is struck by a group of investors including WP Engine backer Silver Lake.
• How Ruby went off the rails details the current drama in the Ruby community from 404 media.
• Beta testers are sought for WooCommerce Order Fulfillments, a new core feature that will include shipment tracking and customer email updates.