Smarter, Not Replaced: What AI Really Means for Architects, Devs and Implementation
If you’re working in the CRM space right now (whether as a Solution Architect, Developer or Implementation Consultant), you’ve probably started using AI in one way or another. Maybe not in huge, game-changing ways just yet, but it’s showing up in the background. It helps you write faster, document quicker, or handle the parts of your job that used to be time-sinks.
From where I sit in recruitment, the trends I’m watching makes it clear AI isn’t replacing these pivotal roles. It’s reshaping them. And the best candidates aren’t threatened by it, they’re actively making it part of their workflow.
Here is what I’m hearing from others about their use of AI for work.
Solution Architects: Lifting the admin load
AI is helping architects work more efficiently at the front end of projects. I’m seeing teams use it to:
- Draft early-stage solution designs based on common templates
- Summarise customer discovery sessions
- Map requirements back to platform capabilities more quickly
No AI system can handle client nuance, system complexity or stakeholder politics. That’s still where you bring the value. The architects doing well here are the ones using AI to speed up documentation, not replace their judgement.
Developers: Co-piloting the build
Developers are using AI as a kind of second brain. Whether it’s GitHub Copilot, Einstein for Developers, or general AI tools like ChatGPT, it’s being used every day to:
- Generate boilerplate code
- Draft test classes
- Spot syntax issues more quickly
Even so, code quality still comes down to architecture, logic and long-term thinking. AI can help you write faster, but it doesn’t know your client’s business rules, data model or technical debt. Developers who are using AI well still lead the design thinking themselves. They just get to skip the repetitive parts.
Implementation Consultants: Letting AI handle the notes
This is one of the areas where AI is already saving people serious time. Implementation leads and consultants are using AI to:
- Record and summarise meetings
- Turn transcripts into user stories or ticket outlines
- Log change requests and risks automatically
That means less time doing admin, and more time focused on client outcomes. The people who do this well are still actively present in every interaction. They’re just not spending hours afterward typing it all up.
What I use AI for (and what I don’t)
As a recruiter, I use AI to streamline my own work. It helps me take notes during candidate calls, summarise client briefs, and write job ads or market updates more efficiently. It’s a great assistant.
But I don’t use it to assess candidates. Reading a CV isn’t the same as understanding a person. Spotting potential, interpreting gaps, and knowing when someone’s underselling themselves all require a human eye and a real conversation.
The mindset that matters
The top candidates I speak to aren’t asking, “Will AI take over my job?” They’re asking, “How can I use it to do better work?” That mindset (practical, curious, and willing to experiment) is what’s going to matter most as AI continues to evolve.
CRM roles aren’t becoming less human. They’re becoming more focused. With AI handling more of the repeatable tasks, you’ve got more space for strategy, insight and leadership. These are the parts no machine can replicate.
If you’re leaning into that, you’re already ahead.
Got questions around which areas to upskill in when it comes to AI? Get in touch today.
– Garth
