Thinking Backward

Exploring the intersection of engineering excellence, product strategy, leadership, and artificial intelligence.

Written by Derek Gilbert

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Latest Writing

Insights

Review some of my latest writing and reflections from my career in software development in the AI era.

The Rising Value of Human Connection in the Age of AI

August 2, 2025

Something's happening in professional services that doesn't make logical sense. AI can analyze data faster, generate insights more consistently, and deliver recommendations without bias. Yet people consistently choose (and pay more for) human involvement. This comprehensive research reveals why human communication skills become more valuable as AI capabilities expand, backed by data showing 32% premiums for human-verified information and 250% ROI on interpersonal skills training.

AI Coding Agents: Transforming Software Development

August 1, 2025

AI coding agents are fundamentally transforming software development, from economic disruption to democratizing technology creation. This comprehensive analysis examines current capabilities, productivity impacts, technical challenges, and future implications for developers and society.

The Dramatic Decline of Computing Costs and What It Means for AI Pricing

July 31, 2025

A comprehensive research analysis examining the dramatic decline in computing costs over four decades and its implications for the future pricing of AI tools and services.

The Great AI Pivot: How the Industry Shifted from Models to Products

July 28, 2025

The AI industry experienced a fundamental strategic transformation between January 2023 and July 2025. What began as a race for superior model capabilities evolved into an intense competition for product dominance, marking a clear inflection point in how AI companies allocate resources and define success...

AI augments rather than replaces: Evidence challenging job displacement fears

July 28, 2025

The narrative that artificial intelligence will eliminate most human jobs faces mounting evidence to the contrary. This comprehensive research report examines evidence from leading institutions, historical analysis, and real-world implementation data showing AI primarily augments human capabilities rather than replacing workers wholesale.

Why Agentic Browsers Will Flop

July 23, 2025

The AI community is buzzing about agentic browsers that can autonomously navigate websites and complete tasks. But most people will try them once and never use them again.

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Areas of

Focus

Four interconnected areas where I'm spending my time and energy these days.

Engineering Excellence

Engineering is applied problem decomposition. Break down the right problem in the right way, and the implementation becomes obvious.

Product Strategy

A product's strength comes from coherence—every feature, flow, and decision aligned toward a unified vision. Strategy is maintaining that coherence while allowing evolution.

Artificial Intelligence

AI is a force multiplier for human intelligence and intuition. It scales our ability to process information so we can focus on wisdom, relationships, and meaning.

Leadership

Leadership is taking complete ownership of outcomes, not just processes. When things go right, the team gets credit. When things go wrong, the leader owns the failure and the path forward.

Why

Thinking Backward

Instead of starting with what's possible today, I begin with the ideal end state and work backward to the present. The path forward becomes clearer when you first understand your destination.

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About

Derek Gilbert

Hi, my name is Derek Gilbert. Thinking backward is my place to write about things I learn in my career. I hope one of these insights I find can be valuable to you and yours. Thank you for reading.

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