> Never had a clear spec in my life.

Just because you haven't or you work in a particular way, doesn't mean everyone does things the same way.

Likewise, on your last point, just because someone is using AI in their work, doesn't mean they don't have hard skills and know-how. Author of this article Mitchell is a great example of that - someone who proved to be able to produce great software and, when talking about individuals who made a dent in the industry, definitely had/has an impactful career.