HTML All The Things - Web Development, AI, and Developer Careers

Anthropic's IPO filing has revealed some eye-opening numbers about the economics of artificial intelligence. Revenue is growing dramatically faster than computing expenses, suggesting that running AI models might finally be becoming a sustainable business. But does that mean the AI bubble is safe? In this edition of the Web News, Matt and Mike discuss Anthropic's financials, the massive investments fueling the AI industry, whether cheaper computing will mean lower prices for consumers, and how competition from open-source and locally hosted AI models could change everything.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/are-anthropics-ai-economics-finally-working

What skills will stay in demand as AI changes how we work? For developers, preparing for the future might mean looking beyond the next framework and building skills that open doors across different roles.

Matt and Mike discuss five areas worth developing: ideation and prioritization, user empathy, sales, evaluating the quality of work, and owning the outcome. Drawing on their experience in software development and running a web agency, they explore when to push back on a client’s request, why understanding users matters beyond finishing a ticket, and how to tell whether AI workflows are actually helping.

Nobody knows exactly where the industry is heading. This conversation is about building more options - whether you want to strengthen your current role, move into product or technical sales, or eventually run your own business.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/what-skills-will-stay-in-demand-as-ai-improves

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AI is finding security holes in old code - but is that making the internet safer or giving attackers more opportunities? After a week spent patching websites, Matt and Mike discuss PHP vulnerabilities, reports of exposed credentials, and the pressure on developers to respond. Matt argues that uncovering existing flaws could lead to a more secure internet, while Mike questions what happens when exploiting those flaws becomes easier and neglected websites remain unpatched. The conversation also explores the hidden maintenance burden of running a side project, why keeping years of customer data “just in case” can create unnecessary risk, and the value - and limitations - of managed hosting. Are we heading toward better security, or an arms race developers can’t keep up with?

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/online-security-are-we-f-cked

Improving your website's SEO doesn't always mean writing more blog posts, investing in expensive tools, or launching a massive content strategy. Sometimes the biggest opportunities are hiding in the pages you've already published. In this episode, Matt and Mike explore 10 low-hanging SEO opportunities that small businesses and web developers can use to improve their existing websites. From finding pages that are close to ranking higher to identifying missed keywords, improving click-through rates, and fixing common technical problems, it's all about making smarter decisions with the data you already have. We also discuss why Google Search Console should be one of your first stops, how to learn from competitors and Google's AI Overviews, and why improving existing content can deliver more value than constantly creating something new. Whether you're managing your own small business website or helping clients with theirs, this episode is about finding evidence before investing more effort.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/10-easy-seo-wins-youre-probably-overlooking

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As AI becomes capable of writing more software, could hand-coded apps eventually become the digital equivalent of handmade furniture or artisan jewelry? In this edition of the Web News, Matt and Mike debate whether people will ever pay a premium for software written by humans, whether users actually care how an app was built, and why the outcome may matter far more than the tools developers use. They also discuss AI backlash in gaming, open-source software, the “software is dead” conversation, and why staying close to what users actually value could matter more than ever.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/would-you-pay-more-for-hand-coded-software

AI coding tools are getting more capable, but learning to use them well is about more than chasing the newest model. In this episode, Matt and Mike break down the fundamentals developers need to work effectively with AI, from models, agents, and harnesses to tools like Cursor, Claude Code, and Codex. We also walk through a practical six-stage progression for building trust in AI-assisted development - starting with small tasks you verify yourself and gradually moving toward agents that can plan, build, review, and test work inside a reliable verification loop.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/ai-basics-for-developers

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Is the AI bubble finally starting to pop? In this edition of the Web News, Matt and Mike discuss OpenAI reducing usage on its $200 Pro plan, the enormous cost of AI infrastructure, and growing questions around whether businesses are actually seeing enough financial return from their AI investments.

They also look at the other side of the argument: AI usage and revenue are still growing rapidly, companies continue pouring money into the technology, and the industry may simply be moving out of an era of heavily subsidized compute. Is this the beginning of an AI correction, or just the next stage of the AI boom?

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/is-the-ai-bubble-starting-to-pop

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AI can save small businesses time, reduce repetitive work, and unlock capabilities that previously required more people, but where should you actually start? In this episode, Matt and Mike break down how small businesses can introduce AI without getting overwhelmed, from identifying high-frequency, low-risk tasks and protecting sensitive business data to turning successful experiments into repeatable AI workflows. We also discuss why you shouldn't automate everything at once, how your existing expertise makes AI more useful, when AI can hurt your brand, and why even a small business should consider having a basic AI policy.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/ai-basics-for-small-businesses

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Our world already has an instant gratification problem and AI has somehow made it worse. It's making skilled work faster and cheaper than ever, which in turn makes us more impatient than ever. Why should we spend a week learning a new SEO tool or a new coding method when we can just ask our AI to do it in a snap? In this edition of the Web News, Matt and Mike discuss AI-powered instant gratification, the pressure to constantly build and experiment, and the strange feeling that when almost anything can be made quickly, maybe we should be doing everything.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/ai-has-made-skilled-labour-almost-free-and-its-scary

Tech layoffs can happen with little warning, even when your company is doing well. In this episode, Matt and Mike discuss the warning signs that layoffs may be coming, how to prepare while you're still employed, and what to do when a layoff starts looking imminent. From building an emergency fund and keeping your resume current to documenting your accomplishments and strengthening your professional network, we cover practical ways to make an unexpected layoff much easier to navigate.

Show Notes: https://www.htmlallthethings.com/podcast/how-to-prepare-for-a-tech-layoff

Use our Scrimba affiliate link (https://scrimba.com/?via=htmlallthethings) for a 20% discount!! Full details in show notes.