We are pouring $8 trillion into AI data centers, but history reveals a brutal truth: the companies building the physical infrastructure almost never capture the lasting wealth.

In this episode of Agents of Dev, hosts Mitch Ashley and Brad Shimmin sit down with tech founder and bestselling author Alan Shimel to break down his book, The Indispensability Trap. Comparing today’s AI frenzy to the massive historical build-outs of the railroads, electrification, telecom monopolies, and the dot-com dark fiber bust, Alan explains how Jevons Paradox forces value to flee the infrastructure layer and migrate "up the stack."

The trio also tackles whether software engineers are facing obsolescence or evolution, how "vibe coding" changes development, and why AI search threatens the core business model of online media.