David Hoang

Writer at Proof of Concept

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Articles

Skills are the new currency

1 week ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang

One of the most anticipated sequels during my younger years was The Matrix: Reloaded, the follow-up to the 1999 Keanu Reeves film that had already cemented itself as a sci-fi classic. Though visually stunning with high-octane action scenes, I felt underwhelmed by it, but this is not a movie review. One of the characters they introduced was Seraph, a pivotal protector in the world of The Matrix.
Strategy is compressing

2 weeks ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang

“Strategy” is one of those loaded words. I often hear people say, “I want to do more strategy,” especially when talking about career growth. But what does that even mean? “Strategist” feels like one of those titles we should retire—kind of like the “Ideas Guy” before it. With technologies like AI and next-gen tooling, the pace of iteration has shifted from two-week sprints to multi-hour cycles. That changes everything. The good news?
Multi-modal and multi-generational

3 weeks ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang

We are in a unique shift in tech right now. The world seems to be changing rapidly with AI advancements. Interactions are not a singular text conversation, but multi-modal inputs. We are amid a generational hand-off between Millennials who grew up with the internet, and Gen Z, the first digital native generation. I’m one of the first-wave Millennials—essentially a prototype with Gen X attributes. I had a Walkman and a MySpace page.
Too legit to git

1 month ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang |Carly Ayres

The term “vibe coding” has taken the internet since Andrej Kaparthy posted about it online:There's a new kind of coding I call "vibe coding", where you fully give in to the vibes, embrace exponentials, and forget that the code even exists. It's possible because the LLMs (e.g. Cursor Composer w Sonnet) are getting too good. Also I just talk to Composer with SuperWhisper so I barely even touch the keyboard.
The Platform of Theseus

1 month ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang

The Ship of Theseus Paradox questions whether an object that has had all its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. Imagine a ship where every plank, nail, and sail is gradually replaced over time—once every part is new, is it the same ship? Further complicating the paradox, if someone were to collect all the original parts and rebuild the ship, which one is the “real” Ship of Theseus?
High touch recruiting

1 month ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang

I recently hosted a Design Talent Gathering at Flour + Water in San Francisco; one of my favorite restaraunts. It was an evening for design recruiters to gather and connect with one another—something they haven’t been able to do post-pandemic and with smaller design conference diminishing. We talked about the state of the industry, what we’re seeing in our respective pipelines.
Self-disruption

2 months ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang

Disruption is a word used for startups—sometimes excessively it becomes cringe. The word means introducing an innovation or new business model that fundamentally alters an industry or market, often displacing established companies or methods (e.g., streaming services disrupting traditional television). As a result, startups typically replicate a company that's viewed as leading that disruption.
Learning from your career crush

2 months ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang

Admit it. You’ve had a crush in your life—the strong but temporary feeling of love or attraction for someone. Though crushes are typically attributed to romanic relationships, there are an array of crush types. Let’s take the brain crush as an example—an intellectual admiration of how a person views the world or thinks about it. As a person who is interested in art, computer science, and technology, there is no shortage of brain crushes for me.
Making decisions happen

2 months ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang

As people take on greater responsibilities in their work, the ability to influence decisions becomes increasingly important. Many assume this is achieved simply by sharing opinions. While some individuals can sway decisions through their opinions alone, it’s usually because they have built a track record of success and credibility. In reality, influencing decisions requires hard work, discipline, and a willingness to stake your reputation.
The role of comprehension in AI workflows

2 months ago | proofofconcept.pub | David Hoang

Whether we like it or not, Artificial Intelligence will continue being the dominant headline over the next few years. Time can only tell if this is a new paradigm shift or something that fades way. For me, it’s the moment to shape it. For software makers, the factory reset encourages everyone to be a beginner again. Headlines tell different stories. Every week there is a new breakthrough that changes how we navigate the displacement variance.