Nah, I think AI has fundamentally changed the perception of the value of most tech labour in the eyes of the people running the show.

The end result of it is that the average dev position becomes seen as dispensable, competition goes up, workload goes up, compensation stagnates.

Being able to escape the rat race and retire is a privilege though. The rest of the rats gotta keep running faster and faster just to stay in the same place.

I retired due to not only AI, but other reasons this industry has become something I don't like.

I'm fortunate with regards to the timing and being able to do it, but if I could have a job like the one I had ten years ago I'd still be working.

Having the ability to "retire" has nothing to do with AI. *Wanting* to retire has a lot to do with AI.

It can be both.