AI changes the Tools,
you still own the Craft
After two years of using AI daily in engineering work, I wrote down what I learned. Not the hype stuff, the real things that actually matter.
This is a FREE ebook for engineers and leaders who want to learn how to adapt AI across the stack and the organization.
Free Download • 12 chapters • Multiple formats (PDF/EPUB)
Who this is for
I wrote this for engineers at any level who are trying to figure out what AI means for their work.
If you're an individual engineer
You're probably wondering which skills matter now and which ones might become less valuable. I've been there, trying to figure out if I should be worried about AI replacing what I do or excited about the possibilities.
If you're leading a team
You're dealing with questions about productivity, process changes, and how to help your team adapt. Everyone's asking about AI tools, but nobody really knows how to measure if they're actually helping.
If you're in a leadership role
You need to make decisions about tooling, team structure, and budget. But most of what you read about AI is either too technical or too abstract to be useful for planning.
I don't have all the answers, but I've spent two years trying to figure this out in practice. These are my notes from that journey.
What's in the book
12 chapters. I tried to keep it practical and avoid the usual AI hype.
Introduction: The AI Moment
Why now is different from previous tech shifts.
1: The Turning Point in AI
What changed when ChatGPT launched and why it matters.
2: Why this matters for Engineers
How your job is changing, whether you like it or not.
3: Coding isn't the job
What engineering actually is when AI can write code.
4: AI as Your Junior Engineer
The mental model that actually works for daily use.
5: Where AI helps (and where it doesn't)
Honest assessment of what works and what's still hype.
6: The New Engineering Workflow
How I changed my daily process and what I learned.
7: How much faster can we really go?
Setting realistic expectations about productivity gains.
8: Rethinking Team Structure
Do we need the same number of people? Different roles?
9: Rethinking how we work with Product
New dynamics when engineers can prototype faster.
10: What AI needs from you
How to set up your environment for success.
11: Staying relevant as an Engineer
Skills that matter more now, skills that matter less.
12: You still own the craft
Why human judgment isn't going anywhere.
That's it. No fluff, no theoretical frameworks you'll never use. Just what I've learned from actually trying to make AI work in real engineering situations.
Questions I get asked
These come up pretty much every time I talk about AI and engineering.
About me
Hoang Nguyen
Director of Engineering @ ShopBack
I've been building software for about 12 years now. Started as a developer, worked my way up to leading teams. These days I spend most of my time thinking about how to help engineers do better work.
Two years ago, when ChatGPT came out, I started experimenting with AI in my daily work. Not because I thought it would replace me, but because I was curious. I tried it for coding, planning, debugging, pretty much everything.
Some things worked great. Others were complete disasters. I started taking notes about what actually helped and what was just hype. This book is basically those notes, cleaned up and organized.
I'm not an AI expert or a researcher. I'm just an engineer who's been trying to figure out how these new tools fit into real work. If you're in the same boat, maybe this will help.
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It's free. I just want to share what I've learned with other engineers who are navigating this change.
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Free Download • 12 chapters • Multiple formats (PDF/EPUB)