How to Go From “Not Technical Enough” to Top 10% Builder Worldwide!

The builder mindset I learned and why 2026 is the year to apply it.

Happy New Year and Welcome to 2026 ✨

Over the break, I caught myself thinking about what I want AI Lady (both me and my newsletter) to be this year.

Not just “Interesting AI takes.” Not just “Use Cases & AI tools.”

My 2026 goal is way more human:

I want to uplift more people to adopt and build with AI - and do it through real 1:1 connections.
The kind where you can say: “Here’s what I’m trying,” and we figure it out together.

Because I’ve learned something that keeps repeating across every technology wave:

Tools don’t change careers. Participation and Momentum does.

Why this is my Goal?

15 years ago, I was told I couldn’t be a SAP Consultant.

Why? You ask.

Because I didn’t have a “Computer Science degree”.

And here’s the plot twist:

I went on to become a successful SAP consultant anyway, traveled the world and worked on multi million $$$ high stakes projects.

The kind of work people name-drop when they want credibility. Enterprise Transformation. Technology Implementations. Big Programs. The Accenture-and-Deloitte flavor of SAP. The 3 Michelin-star level of SAP consulting.

And along the way I definitely became more “technical” than anyone expected.

It was not easy, but I did what it took.

And I learned.

You don’t earn credibility by having the perfect label.
You earn it by being curious, learning fast, shipping, and showing proof.

Which brings me to AI and surprisingly things have not changed much.

“AI is democratized”… and yet

So when people tell me “AI is democratized,” I nod.

Because yes… with vibecoding, copilots, low code/no code tools… it’s never been easier to build.

But I also pause.

Because “easy to use” does not automatically mean “everyone benefits equally.”

The thing Elena Verna said that stuck with me:

Elena Verna (Head of Growth at Lovable) wrote that she expected their users to be pretty balanced… but when the stats were out - women are only ~20% of users.

There’s no barrier to entry anymore. You can just show up, start chatting and start building - no code, no gatekeepers. But still, no such luck.

Hard truth: women often need that extra push, a reason, an excuse, a shove out of comfort. But her fear? For too many, that push will come too late.

That line matters because Lovable product is literally built to feel welcoming.

So if the gap shows up there… it’s not about aesthetics. It’s not about intelligence. It’s not about interest.

It’s about what gets people to actually start.

And yes - this shows up in broader data too. Deloitte has reported meaningful differences in how women and men are incorporating gen AI into daily life/workflows and highlights that parity in “adoption” doesn’t automatically translate into parity in integration and benefit.

And that means if women lag in adoption now, it doesn’t stay a “tool or a learning gap.”

It becomes an influence gap.

That’s DEIB in a brand new costume :) Yeah - I see that coming very soon with glass ceilings and the same old story.

Here’s the clearest “why” I’ve found

This is the simplest way to say it:

Adoption isn’t just technical. It’s social.

Adoption depends on things like:

• Who feels comfortable being a beginner out loud

• Who has time during the workday to experiment

• Who gets invited into pilots / “AI task forces” / prompt-sharing circles

• Who feels they can try something imperfect without getting judged

• Who trusts the tool enough to use it on real work

Research backs that up. A BIS working paper on the “GenAI gender gap” found women report lower gen AI usage than men, and the biggest driver isn’t ability, it’s self-assessed knowledge (basically: “Do I feel like I know enough to use this?”).

That’s not a talent gap.

That’s a confidence + context gap.

This is what needs to be addressed.

The most uplifting proof I can offer: my own inbox

Oh btw - I got an email from Lovable with my “2025 - year in review” stats and I just sat there smiling.

It said I’m in the top 10% of builders globally for code created.
I “vibed out” 23,204 lines of code, saved 773 hours of coding time, and apparently I’m an “Elite Vibe Coder.”

The same person who was once told “you can’t” without a Computer Science degree.

And the best part?

I built 4 apps. Not by waiting until I felt ready but by being vulnerable, failing, but working toward building the muscle of coding through practice.

That’s the energy I want to spread in 2026:

You don’t need permission to be a builder.

I’ve learned something practical which I am happy to share with you

The fastest way to change the conversation (You need to be a “Technologist” to build with AI) is to build something - big or small - that solves a real problem and ship it.

Doors tend to open without you having to narrate your résumé. I represent HR in my company’s AI Taskforce.

My HR team and I built our company’s first AI chatbot and shipped it in September 2025.

That should tell you something.

That’s the energy I want more people to have access to.

What this means for HR leaders?

(and anyone who cares about the future of work)

AI is becoming a career multiplier.

Early adopters get visibility. Their learning compounds. They become “the person who knows it.” That turns into opportunity.

So in 2026, I’m not interested in “encouraging AI.”

I’m interested in designing adoption so it doesn’t default to whoever already feels most confident.

A few practical moves that work:

1) Give people protected build time.
Not an after-work hours hobby.

If it’s optional, it becomes unequal by default.

2) Create small peer pods, not big one-off trainings.
Confidence grows through practice and hands-on building, not PowerPoint slides.

3) Make “beginner mode” socially safe.
Leaders learning out loud changes everything.

4) Tackle trust head-on
Clear guardrails on what’s safe to input and what isn’t (ambiguity kills adoption).

5) Celebrate & reward builders in every role.
Building isn’t only coding. It’s better onboarding, smarter recruiting workflows, cleaner HR ops, faster internal comms, stronger manager toolkits.

My New Year ask

If you’ve been curious but hesitant: this is your sign.
Start small. Start today.

And if you know someone who needs a boost - share this article with them.

Also: if you want a 1:1 nudge to build your first thing (or your next thing), DM me. This is literally my 2026 intention.

This year, I want to be more than a newsletter.

I want AI Lady to be a signal in someone’s week that says:

You don’t have to be a “Technologist” to build with AI.
You just have to start.

Let’s make more AI Ladies this year - meaning: more people who claim the builder identity.

Stay curious 🙂
AI Lady

About the Author

I’m Priya Tahiliani, and I’ve spent the last 15 years at the intersection of HR and Technology. My career has centered on SAP HCM and SAP SuccessFactors consulting, working with Big Four firms and clients worldwide.

I led various AI adoption initiatives, developed and launched my company’s first AI tool by building a strong cross-functional partnership with IT, and I continue to collaborate with HR leaders to shape the future of work through AI.

Beyond work, I serve as Vice President of Public Relations at Toastmasters. I’m also the Founder of the AI Collective – Oakville Chapter in Canada, which is the world’s largest community for AI professionals - a network dedicated to learning and leading responsibly with AI.

And of course, I write the AI Lady newsletter, where I share my experiences, insights, and thoughts about how AI is reshaping our workplaces.

My newest hobby - learning how to produce music and remixing songs!

Feel free to comment if you want to listen to my latest creation :)