Back to the blogPublished 2026-03-17

Which Specialists Are Really Needed in the Market Now (and Why There Aren't Enough of Them)

The market is in a strange situation: there are many developers, but not enough of the right people. We examine who a product engineer is, why they are scarce, and how AI is changing the balance of power.

Authors: slavb18

The market is currently in a strange situation.

On one hand - a huge number of developers, product managers, team leads, CTOs. On the other - companies are actively looking for people who are almost non-existent.

We're talking about a product engineer.

Who is a product engineer

This is not just a developer. And not just a product manager.

This is a person who can:

understand a business problem
formulate requirements
design a solution
write code
test
deliver to production

And all of this - almost single-handedly.

Previously, such people were more of an exception. Now - this is the new norm the market is moving towards.

Why this became possible

The main reason is AI development tools.

Tools like Cursor and Claude Code have emerged, which allow you to:

write code faster
work with unfamiliar technologies
generate tests
speed up routine tasks

In fact, one strong engineer with AI can now do what a whole team used to do.

But there's a nuance

Many think this means:

"Now anyone can build products using AI"

This is not yet the case.

There are two fundamentally different approaches:

1. Vibe-coding

When a person simply writes:

"Make an app"

This works for:

prototypes
landing pages
demos

But it almost doesn't work for:

complex logic
integrations
high-load systems
production

2. Product engineer + AI

This is already a reality.

Here:

the human thinks
AI accelerates

The engineer:

makes product decisions
designs architecture
reviews code

AI:

writes code
assists with tests
accelerates implementation

Why are such specialists scarce

The problem is that this is a hybrid role.

It requires simultaneously:

engineering mindset
product mindset
experience in independent development
ability to work with uncertainty

Usually, these are people who:

started their own startups
worked in small teams
took responsibility "from idea to production"

Objectively, there are not many such individuals.

How they are evaluated now

If before they asked about algorithms and frameworks, now the focus is shifting.

They look at things like:

how you use AI in development
how you've integrated it into your process
how you verify AI-generated code
where you don't trust AI
how you manage a project without a manager
whether you've built a product "single-handedly"

Essentially, they check:

do you know how to build a product, not just write code

What is changing in the market

There is a feeling that the market is moving towards a model of:

fewer people → more responsibility → higher speed

One strong product engineer with AI can replace:

several developers
part of a product manager's functions
part of a team lead's functions

What about the future of the profession

There's a main question:

will there be IT jobs for everyone?

There's no answer yet.

There are two scenarios:

1. Demand falls

If AI replaces developers faster than the market grows.

2. Demand grows

If development becomes cheaper → more products emerge → more people are needed

Historically, the second scenario usually occurred.

When something becomes cheaper - more of it gets produced.

Conclusion

The market currently needs more than just developers.

It needs people who can:

think like a product manager
build like an engineer
use AI as a tool

And take responsibility for the outcome.

Such people are still few.

And they are now becoming the most valuable resource.