Chasing new skills, going back to basics and pushing for collective action: how software engineers are adapting to AI | AI (artificial intelligence)
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2026/jul/12/software-developers-engineers-ai
Publish Date: 2026-07-12 06:00:00
Source Domain: www.theguardian.com
Here are six key points from the article:
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Matt’s Commuting Coding Habit: Matt, a software engineer commuting to Pawling, New York, utilizes his four-hour train ride to work on his personal coding project: a browser-based video game he develops entirely by hand.
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Shift in Software Engineering Roles: Over the past six months, Matt’s job has transitioned significantly towards reviewing code generated by artificial intelligence (AI) rather than writing and solving coding problems, which he believes is eroding his skills.
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Fear of Skill Obsolescence: After a layoff and a directive from his boss to use AI more extensively, Matt expresses growing concern about the future of his career and the stability traditionally associated with software engineering.
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Industry-Wide Adaption to AI: As AI advances, software engineers across the board are reconsidering their skills and roles, some even seeking alternative career paths due to the rapid shift away from traditional coding tasks.
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Challenges of Coding Job Market: Since the release of AI tools like ChatGPT, many tech job postings have decreased, and the unemployment rate for computer science graduates has risen, leading to increased competition for remaining positions.
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Future Role of Human Software Engineers: Experts suggest that while coding proficiency may decline in value, the ability to evaluate and manage AI-generated code will become crucial, causing a shift in what skills are deemed valuable in the software engineering field.