For meta-software developer Rohan Kulkarni, working with AI no longer ends with the end of the working day.
At work, he said AI has sped up brainstorming and prototyping, with projects that once took about a month sometimes taking just two or three weeks. But keeping up with AI isn’t just limited to the office. He typically spends four to six hours per week learning about new developments in technology and AI, including experimenting with ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. He pays about $50 a month for the three subscriptions.
Kulkarni, who is in his late 20s and lives in California, is one of the many engineers who spend hours of their personal time working on AI long after work. Some use it to create side projects and learn skills they don’t have time to develop during the workday. Their motivations vary, ranging from fear that AI could change their careers and concern about falling behind colleagues to genuine curiosity about the technology.
Since AI has helped Kulkarni complete tasks faster, it also brings a new challenge: using the AI without it thinking for him.
Table of Contents
A habit of continuous learning
Growing up in India, Kulkarni said he became fascinated with technology after his parents bought him a Windows 98 computer when he was about five years old.
In 2021, he moved to the United States to pursue a master’s degree at Stony Brook University before joining Meta the following year as a software engineer. Kulkarni credited a recommendation and intensive preparation for the interview for his help in filling the position. Since then, he has developed from a newly graduated software engineer to a senior software engineer.
Kulkarni said he taught himself new technologies through side projects long before generative AI became mainstream. The rise of AI simply changed what he learned.
“My main motivation is that new technologies create new opportunities,” he said. “I want to be prepared to take advantage of them when they arise.”
This preparation takes place during his free time, but Kulkarni said he has been able to not limit the things that are most important to him, like time with family.
“I spent less time scrolling and consuming content without purpose,” he said, adding that he saved the most on YouTube Shorts and Netflix movies.
Business Insider speaks with tech professionals affected by recent changes in the workforce, including layoffs, the adoption of AI and changing expectations in the workplace.
Share your story by filling out this form.
Learning to think with AI
Kulkarni said one of the biggest benefits of AI is not just helping him work faster, but also changing the way he approaches problems.
Before the availability of generative AI tools, Kulkarni often turned to mentors early in the development process to share ideas, identify blind spots, and think through different approaches. Today he said AI has become a “thinking partner,” allowing him to answer many of these questions himself.
“Mentors are still important,” he said, “but with an AI as a thought partner you can do a lot of thinking before reaching out to other people.”
But learning how to use AI effectively was a process. Kulkarni said he initially “delegated” the thinking to the AI, giving it a problem and asking it to figure everything out for him. He now realizes that a more effective approach is to first develop his own ideas and then use AI to “pressure test” them and challenge his assumptions before deciding what to do next.
“Don’t think of AI as a panacea,” he said. “It’s more of a tool that empowers you.”
Kulkarni said he’s gotten used to this different way of thinking, but understands why the change can lead to “AI fatigue” among some engineers. Before the advent of generative AI, he said, workers were often responsible for completing every part of a task themselves. These days, they’re increasingly spending time working with AI tools that can help brainstorm and evaluate ideas – which requires a different way of thinking.
“At this point you almost think you’re an architect,” he said, “which requires a different kind of muscle.”
Read more about people who found themselves at a crossroads in business
Career advice for the AI age
Kulkarni said the layoffs across the tech industry reminded him to focus on what he can control. Instead of worrying about business decisions, he tries to do his job well while supporting affected colleagues.
“All I can do is do my job well, be grateful that I have a job and then show compassion for the people around me,” he said.
Kulkarni has two other pieces of advice for technicians. First, he said people should use AI to build on the skills they already have.
When it comes to navigating careers, Kulkarni says people should remember that despite the AI boom, “everything is human.” Whether they’re developing products with AI or working on side projects, the ultimate goal is to solve problems for other people – and maintaining that perspective can help make better decisions.
This mindset begins before the work even begins. Instead of jumping straight into building something, Kulkarni says he first asks himself what value a project will bring to the customer.
He said the same human-centered mindset applies to networking as well. He believes that conversations are not just viewed as opportunities for professional development, but that stronger connections are created when people take the time to get to know each other.
“Be genuinely curious to get to know the person and not just be there for the job,” he said.
Do you have a story to share about learning AI or working in tech? Contact the reporter by email at jzinkula@businessinsider.comor via Signal at jzinkula.29.
https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-software-engineer-generative-ai-learns-tech-industry-after-work-2026-7
