"When you're starting off, you solve problems with code. When you get more experienced, you solve problems with people. When you get even more experienced, you solve problems with money. In other words: You can be the person writing the code, and solving the problem directly. Or you can manage people, specifying what they should do. Or you can invest in teams, telling them about the problems you want to solve, but letting them set specific goals and managing the day-to-day work."
"Because in 2026, many companies and individuals are using AI to write code on their behalf. In just the last two weeks, I've spoken with developers who barely touch code, having AI to develop it for them. And in case you're wondering whether this only applies to freelancers, I've spoken with people from several large, well-known companies, who have said something similar."
A friend described software engineering progression: beginners solve problems with code, experienced engineers solve problems with people, and more experienced solve problems with money. Generative AI was previously viewed as a learning tool rather than a production coder. In 2026 many companies and individuals are using AI to specify, write, and test code. Some developers now barely touch code while AI develops it for them, and large companies report similar adoption. Observers call AI-written code a mega-trend poised to transform the tech industry, and model-generated code quality has recently improved dramatically, suggesting human coding may decline.
Read at Reuven Lerner
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