The traditional career path for software engineers is undergoing a dramatic transformation as artificial intelligence increasingly automates entry-level coding tasks. In 2023, a poll on workplace forum Blind revealed that 42% of over 13,000 respondents believed young software engineers were “pretty much fucked” in the age of AI. The concerns have only intensified as major tech companies embrace AI-powered development.
Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai announced in October that AI now writes more than 25% of new code at the company, while Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg has stated plans to build an AI engineer specifically for writing code. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff declared a hiring freeze for engineers in 2025, citing a 30% productivity increase from AI, followed by news of 1,000 planned layoffs. Similarly, Stripe announced plans to cut some engineering positions while growing overall headcount.
The impact is visible in hiring data: job postings for software engineers on Indeed have hit a five-year low. According to CompTIA analysis, software engineering job postings fell 50% from January to December 2023, the sharpest decline among tech roles. More tellingly, the proportion of entry-level positions dropped from nearly 30% to just over 20% since January 2023, while roles requiring seven or more years of experience increased from 30% to nearly 40%.
However, experienced engineers remain optimistic, viewing AI as an augmentation tool rather than a replacement. Jeremy Chua, a software engineer at Georgian’s AI Lab with over a decade of experience, reports completing week-long projects in one or two days using AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude. Caleb Tonkinson from SmarterDx notes AI enables engineers to either “deliver the same thing faster, or deliver something better in the same period of time.”
The divide centers on creativity and expertise. As James Stanger, chief technology evangelist at CompTIA, explains: “AI can’t support what it doesn’t know” and lacks the creative thinking required for complex problem-solving. Startups like Cognition AI have released products like Devin, described as “a junior engineer” designed to handle bugs and small feature requests, directly targeting entry-level work.
The concern is that AI is removing the career ladder that junior developers traditionally climbed. Alexander Petros, a freelance engineer who avoids generative AI, worries that eliminating entry-level tasks prevents junior developers from making mistakes and learning. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Statistics still projects 17% growth for software developers from 2023 to 2033, suggesting the field isn’t disappearing—just evolving dramatically.
Key Quotes
AI can’t support what it doesn’t know. I still don’t think that it is something that can fully replace a good developer. If a developer is not creative, then you can replace them very easily.
James Stanger, chief technology evangelist at CompTIA, explains the fundamental limitation of AI in software engineering. This quote captures the core tension: AI threatens routine coding work but cannot replicate the creative problem-solving that defines exceptional engineering.
It’s not like it will replace me — it augments the way that I work.
Jeremy Chua, a software engineer with over a decade of experience at Georgian’s AI Lab, describes his experience using AI tools. His perspective represents the optimism of senior engineers who view AI as a productivity multiplier rather than a threat to their careers.
I do worry that because AI is in many ways doing things that you used to hire junior developers to do, it does remove the ladder upon which junior developers would try to do those things, make those mistakes, and then learn.
Alexander Petros, a freelance open-source software engineer who doesn’t use generative AI, articulates the central concern about career development. His observation highlights how AI’s automation of entry-level tasks may prevent the next generation from gaining essential experience.
I think something that’s far more essential than learning how to code is having agency.
Jayesh Govindarajan, a Salesforce executive vice president focused on AI, suggests a radical shift in what skills matter for software engineers. This statement from a major tech company executive signals how AI may fundamentally redefine the role of human engineers.
Our Take
This article captures a critical inflection point where AI’s productivity gains create winners and losers within the same profession. The bifurcation is stark: experienced engineers enjoy unprecedented productivity while entry-level positions evaporate. This isn’t just about job displacement—it’s about the destruction of a proven talent development pipeline.
The tech industry’s short-term thinking is particularly concerning. Companies celebrating 30% productivity gains and hiring freezes may be mortgaging their future by failing to develop the next generation of senior engineers. Where will experienced developers come from in 2030 if today’s juniors never get hired?
Moreover, the emphasis on “creativity” and “agency” as differentiators feels somewhat hollow when companies simultaneously eliminate the positions where people develop those skills. The real test will be whether AI can truly handle the complexity of large-scale software systems or whether companies will discover they’ve created a talent shortage by over-relying on automation. History suggests technology creates new roles, but the transition period may be painful for those caught in the middle.
Why This Matters
This story represents a fundamental shift in how the tech industry develops talent and structures engineering careers. For decades, software engineering offered a clear progression: junior developers learned by handling routine coding tasks before advancing to more complex work. AI’s ability to automate these entry-level responsibilities threatens to eliminate the first rungs of this ladder, potentially creating a skills gap where companies need experienced engineers but have no pipeline to develop them.
The implications extend beyond individual careers to the broader economy and innovation ecosystem. With 1.9 million software developers in the US as of 2023, changes in this field affect millions of workers and countless businesses dependent on software development. The widening experience gap in job postings signals that companies are prioritizing AI augmentation of senior talent over developing junior talent, a strategy that may prove unsustainable long-term.
This transformation also highlights AI’s double-edged nature: while it dramatically increases productivity for experienced workers, it simultaneously disrupts traditional career pathways. The tech industry’s response—whether companies invest in new training models or simply reduce engineering headcount—will shape not only the future of software development but serve as a template for how AI transforms other professional fields.
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