The Balsam of Fierabras and the Promise of AI

Lately, I’ve been watching something happen in our industry that feels familiar in a way I can’t quite shake. Companies are talking about “efficiency gains” from AI. Numbers get thrown around — 20%, 30%, sometimes more. And alongside those numbers come decisions: smaller teams, fewer engineers, faster timelines. I’ve even heard stories — whether apocryphal or not — of companies laying off the majority of their engineering teams entirely. Product steps in, increasingly armed with AI tools, generating code directly. The few engineers that remain are no longer building systems so much as reviewing them, deploying them, and keeping the lights on. I understand the appeal. I really do. If I’m being honest, part of me wants it to be true. But I can’t help thinking about Don Quixote. In the novel, there’s a potion called the Balsam of Fierabras. It’s supposed to be a miracle cure — a remedy capable of healing any wound. Quixote believes in it completely. When he finally prepares it and drinks