That opening anecdote about the mid-level engineer losing out to someone more fluent with AI tools is a massive wake-up call for everyone in web development. It shows that AI literacy is no longer just an optional skill on a resume; it is actively becoming a primary hiring filter in 2026. Code generation tools are fundamentally changing the baseline expectation for developer velocity. Being a good coder isn't enough anymore—you have to know how to orchestrate these tools efficiently.