AI didn't erase the junior engineer's value, it increased it it

Junior engineers' value has increased rather than diminished with AI, as they can now lead feature development and solve customer problems that were previously deprioritized due to cost constraints. Rather than simply executing predetermined tasks, junior engineers can use AI tools to manage technical complexity while owning design decisions and trade-offs, effectively expanding organizational capacity. The key distinction is that engineering work fundamentally involves problem-solving and complexity management, not merely code production, making junior engineers essential for delivering value across a wider range of projects.