AI Is Entering Its GeoCities Era. What Should Developers Do?
This is a summary of a video I published on YouTube. You can click on the link below to watch the full video.
You’re Not Late—You’re Early in the Messy Phase
A lot of developers are worried they’re already behind with AI. That’s the wrong read.
We’re in the GeoCities phase of AI. Lots of noise, lots of startups, lots of people throwing things at the wall. Most of it won’t last. That’s not failure—that’s how new tech always plays out.
The mistake is assuming you need to pick the “right” tool or platform right now. You don’t. There is no stable ground yet. And when you chase stability in a chaotic phase, you end up wasting time on things that disappear six months later.
What Actually Happens in These Cycles
I’ve seen this before with the early web. Same pattern. Big excitement, silly ideas, money flying around, then a crash. After that, the real companies emerge, and things start to make sense.
Right now, we’re still in experimentation mode. Nobody fully understands how AI will consistently make money across the board. Some companies will figure it out. Most won’t.
That uncertainty is exactly where the opportunity is.
Don’t Overthink It—Get Paid While the Wave Is Rolling
Here’s the practical angle: all these startups need developers. Even the weak ones.
And yes, many of them will fail. That doesn’t mean working for them is a bad move. You’re getting paid, gaining experience, and learning how real products are built under pressure.
This is economic natural selection. Ideas get tested. Most die. A few survive and dominate. Your job isn’t to predict the winners—it’s to participate and build skills while the system is active.
Where Developers Go Wrong
The biggest mistake I see is developers tying themselves emotionally to specific tools.
They learn one framework, one AI model, one stack—and treat it like a long-term bet. That’s how you get stuck.
What’s popular today can be irrelevant very quickly. If your value depends on a specific tool, your shelf life is short.
Fundamentals are what keep you in the game.
The Boring Stuff That Actually Wins
If I were starting today, I’d still build on the web stack. Not because it’s exciting, but because it gives you range.
- HTML, CSS, responsive layouts
- JavaScript or PHP on the backend
- CRUD operations, APIs, SQL databases
This is the stuff that lets you move between projects, clients, and industries without starting over every time.
Layer AI on top of that. Learn how different models behave, where they fail, and how to combine them with traditional code. Treat them like tools—not magic.
Stop Watching, Start Building
Another trap: staying in tutorial mode too long. Watching videos feels productive, but it doesn’t build judgment.
You develop real skill by building things, breaking them, and fixing them.
Start small. Modify an existing site. Build a basic app. Then push a little further each time. Like training for a fight—you don’t start with champions. You start at your level and work up.
The Real Takeaway
You don’t need to predict the future of AI. You need to be adaptable when it changes.
Developers who win long term aren’t the ones who chased trends best. They’re the ones who built strong fundamentals and kept moving when the ground shifted.
That’s the game.
Watch the video on YouTube here 👉 AI Is Entering Its GeoCities Era. What Should Developers Do?
Thanks for reading!
Stef