Is AI Taking Over Coding Jobs? Zoho’s Sridhar Vembu and OpenAI’s Sam Altman Think So

The rise of artificial intelligence has been a game-changer in many industries, and software development is no exception. Zoho founder Sridhar Vembu and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have recently shared their views on AI’s growing role in coding, suggesting that a majority of programming jobs could soon be automated. Their insights have sparked discussions about the future of software engineering and the evolving role of human programmers.

Sridhar Vembu’s Take: AI Will Handle 90% of Coding

Sridhar Vembu, the founder of Zoho, believes that AI will eventually take over 90% of programming work, particularly the repetitive and routine tasks that developers handle daily. He shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "When people say 'AI will write 90% of the code' I readily agree because 90% of what programmers write is 'boilerplate'."

Boilerplate code refers to the repetitive, standard code that developers often write across projects. According to Vembu, AI is particularly good at eliminating this kind of complexity, allowing human programmers to focus on more challenging aspects of software development. He referred to a well-known concept from The Mythical Man-Month, a famous book on software engineering, which differentiates between essential complexity (problems that require deep thinking and creativity) and accidental complexity (unnecessary complications that arise from inefficient processes).

Vembu argues that while AI is excellent at recognizing and handling patterns that have already been discovered by humans, it remains uncertain whether AI can independently discover completely new patterns and solutions. This, he suggests, is where human expertise will continue to be valuable.

Sam Altman’s Perspective: Fewer Software Engineers Needed

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shares a similar view on AI’s impact on software engineering. In a recent interview, he stated that AI is already writing more than half of the code in many companies. He believes that as AI models continue to advance, the demand for software engineers will likely decrease.

"Each software engineer will just do much, much more for a while," Altman said. "And then at some point, yeah, maybe we do need less software engineers."

He highlighted a trend called agentic coding, which refers to AI models that can independently execute complex coding tasks with minimal human intervention. While current AI tools assist developers by generating code snippets, fixing errors, and suggesting optimizations, the future could see AI autonomously handling entire projects, reducing the need for large development teams.

How AI is Already Changing Software Development

The impact of AI on coding is already evident in various tools and platforms that assist developers in writing, debugging, and optimizing code. Some of the most notable AI-powered tools include:

• GitHub Copilot: Developed by OpenAI and GitHub, this AI-powered coding assistant suggests lines of code, completes functions, and even writes entire scripts based on a developer’s input.

• Tabnine: An AI-driven code completion tool that speeds up the coding process by predicting what developers are likely to type next.

• CodeWhisperer by Amazon: A tool that provides real-time code suggestions, helping developers write cleaner and more efficient code.

• AutoML by Google: Automates machine learning model creation, allowing developers to focus on high-level problem-solving rather than manual coding.

These tools are rapidly improving, reducing the time and effort required to write and manage software. As AI advances, its ability to handle complex coding tasks will only increase.

Will AI Replace Human Programmers?

While AI is undoubtedly transforming software engineering, the complete replacement of human programmers remains unlikely in the near future. Experts argue that AI can enhance productivity by taking over repetitive tasks, but human developers will still be needed for:

• Creative problem-solving: AI lacks true creativity and innovation, which are essential for designing unique solutions.

• Understanding business needs: Software development involves working closely with stakeholders to create solutions tailored to specific business problems. AI lacks the ability to fully understand human needs and make judgment calls.

• Security and ethical considerations: AI-generated code may introduce security vulnerabilities or ethical concerns that require human oversight.

Vembu himself acknowledges this, emphasizing that while AI will reduce the need for manual coding, human expertise will still be necessary for complex and strategic decision-making.

The Future of Software Engineering

The rise of AI in coding does not necessarily mean that software engineering will disappear as a profession. Instead, it is likely to evolve. Developers will need to:

• Focus on high-level problem-solving: Rather than writing boilerplate code, developers may spend more time designing architectures, optimizing performance, and improving security.

• Learn AI-assisted development: Understanding how to work alongside AI tools will be a valuable skill. Developers who can effectively use AI-powered coding assistants will be more productive and efficient.

• Adapt to new roles: As AI takes over routine coding tasks, developers may shift towards AI training, maintenance, and oversight roles.

Conclusion

The predictions from Sridhar Vembu and Sam Altman highlight a major shift in the software development industry. AI is already handling a significant portion of coding tasks, and as AI models become more advanced, the demand for traditional software engineers may decline. However, this does not mean that human programmers will become obsolete. Instead, the role of a developer will evolve, focusing more on strategic thinking, problem-solving, and AI integration.

For those entering the field of software engineering, the key to staying relevant will be embracing AI rather than fearing it. Learning how to work with AI-powered tools and developing skills in areas that AI cannot easily replicate will be crucial in the coming years.

As AI continues to reshape industries, one thing is clear—software engineering is not dying, but it is changing. Those who adapt to these changes will remain valuable in the AI-driven future.