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There are a lot of discussions about AI replacing CS jobs. In this article we discuss Will AI replace software programmers? Everyone agrees that artificial intelligence is at the center stage today. Wherever you look, you will find artificial intelligence playing a critical role. From your social media feeds that tell you what to watch to Google Maps guiding you about road traffic, everything is now powered by artificial intelligence. It’s impossible to go back to the time before AI. However, the convenience and efficiency of AI come with a threat that soon every human will be replaced by machines powered by artificial intelligence. Undoubtedly, this is a genuine threat as AI has shown the capability of doing many things that humans do. And, as AI is still evolving, there is a lot that AI can do, and we cannot even imagine it.
Many tech leaders are convinced that AI will replace software programmers in the future. Companies are even firing programmers, saying that it’s because of AI. But there are many who differ. The many cases of AI making errors and struggling to beat human intelligence are proof that human programmers are irreplaceable.
In this blog, we will delve deep into this discussion and try to understand why AI cannot replace humans, and AI is just an excuse for mass layoffs. Later, we will talk about how programmers can secure their careers.
What Do Tech CEOs Have to Say About AI?
Many big names in tech are claiming that AI will take over programming jobs. Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, has said, “With AI, no one will require Java or C to do coding”., he says AI tools can now write code for non-programmers. He suggests that AI can make traditional coding skills less important, allowing anyone to create software with simple commands.
Similarly, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, predicted that by 2025, “AI will be writing 90% of the code,” and in a year, it might write almost all code. The same thoughts are echoed by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who revealed his plans to replace mid-level software engineers with AI, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who believes that AI is already doing 50 percent of coding work.
These views create doubt among job seekers about being replaced by AI tools like GitHub, Grok, Copilot, OpenAI, or ChatGPT that can easily create high-quality code snippets, identify issues and defects, and also suggest changes to improve code.
However, not everyone agrees to AI dominating over humans. Many experts argue that AI is more of a tool to increase efficiency than a replacement. Bill Gates, in an interview, said that programmers will be essential for debugging, refining, and advancing AI and cannot be replaced by AI. Similarly, a professor from UC San Diego said, “Even though you can use AI to generate assignments, you still need fundamental coding knowledge to collaborate with AI effectively.”
While the views may differ about AI replacing humans, one thing that clearly comes out is that AI will impact the job market, but it’s not related to replacing humans. AI may help reduce the number of programmers, but it cannot be a substitute for human programmers. Fei-Fei Li, the creator of ImageNet, has also emphasized this: “Artificial intelligence is not a substitute for human intelligence; it is a tool to amplify human creativity and ingenuity.”
Why AI Won’t Fully Replace Programmers?
AI is impressive and there is no doubt about it, but it’s not flawless. So, if you worry about AI taking over your jobs, read why AI won’t be able to take your jobs.
Cannot Solve Complex Problems
AI can handle simple tasks and even help with coding, but when it comes to solving real-world problems, it can’t be fully trusted. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system is a perfect example of this. It has caused several crashes, including a fatal one into a parked police car. It can drive as well as navigate your Tesla, but during complex traffic situations, and bad weather, it falters. So, to make it work in different conditions, it will need constant reprogramming, for which, human developers will be needed.
Lacks Human Touch
AI can advance to many levels, but it will never be able to replicate or understand human emotions and creativity. AI can work around ideas but cannot think of anything that it has never heard of. For instance, a developer may use personal experience, as well as community feedback to design an App, but can’t AI do so, NO. AI may give suggestions based on the data that is there but will not be able to understand the impact. Human touch and creativity are unmatched qualities, which AI cannot have.
Cannot Understand Cultural and Social Context
AI can’t understand the cultural and social context like humans can. Coding isn’t just about writing perfect code but creating a product that is beneficial for the users, and that can make an impact on their lives, and solve real issues. For example, a website or app needs to fulfill the needs of its consumers to connect with them. While developers can create software and apps that feel relatable to different groups, AI lacks empathy and intuition. In addition, developers think about ethics, ensuring apps are accessible and fair, and avoiding biases in data, which AI may not be able to do.
Not Capable of Understanding Everyone’s Needs
Software development is a team effort, where programmers work with designers, marketers, and users to build apps that match their expectations. But AI cannot be trusted for collaboration. For example, open-source projects do well because developers share ideas and work together. Collaboration creates a space for creativity, sharing ideas, etc. AI can help with tasks, but humans working together make the projects successful.
Can’t trust
You can make a human programmer accountable for things, but can you do the same with AI? A recent case is ChatGPT generating fake articles. Whatever data you generate from AI, there is no guarantee that it is true or not. Humans will always be needed to verify and authenticate the data.
Not Able To Make Decisions
AI can suggest code improvements, but it can’t make decisions that require analyzing a bigger picture. For example, when choosing a new security protocol, AI cannot weigh technical benefits, timelines, team skills, and stakeholder preferences, but a programmer can easily do so. Experienced programmers are able to make decisions based on the context, which is not possible for AI.
Programmers Needed to Create and Maintain AI
AI can’t exist without developers. Every technology is developed by humans, and there is no way these technologies can ever replace their creators. They will always need humans to make them better and fix errors. Every AI system that you use today, be it a chatbot or a recommendation tool, is made and maintained by humans. AI can create basic AI systems, but humans are needed to integrate these systems and ensure they work well.
Security
Security is a major issue with AI apps. As you know, software development is a very sensitive project for an organization, as it may use confidential data. If you expose this data to Cloud-based apps like ChatGPT, you can’t be sure of the safety of your data. Your data may get stolen or leaked, and you won’t be able to do anything about it.
All these incidents prove that AI can write simple code, but when it comes to creativity and problem-solving, there is no replacement for humans.
Is AI the Culprit behind the Layoffs?
Over the past two years, tech companies have laid off thousands of workers, and AI has often been made the villain. As per TechCrunch data, in 2024 and 2025, tech companies like Google, IBM, PwC, Chegg Inc., Meta, and Amazon laid off thousands of employees. In just 6 months of 2025, over 50,000 tech workers have been laid off. Recently, Microsoft laid off nearly 6,000 employees, including a seasoned developer with 18 years of experience. CEO Satya Nadella said that AI now helps write 30% of the company’s code, suggesting that fewer engineers will be needed to scale software development in the future.
So, AI is cited to be the reason for layoffs, but the reasons are more complex. Experts like Deedy Das (Menlo Ventures) say the layoffs are less about AI taking jobs and more about funding huge AI infrastructure bets. For example, Microsoft has planned to spend $80B on AI this year. Basically, companies want to cut down costs on low-level repetitive tasks and automate jobs like managing databases using AI.
Besides this, other reasons for Layoffs are;
- Offshoring/Outsourcing: Many companies are outsourcing tech jobs to countries with lower labor costs. Work visas are easy to get from outsourcing companies, which have headquarters in the US. They hire people from developing countries like India at lower salaries compared to the salaries of the US employees. Companies, too, don’t mind this and like to hire overseas employees and not local employees as they get to save money on salaries and, in many cases, insurance and other benefits.
- Workforce restructuring: Some roles, like those focused on older technologies or basic skills, are becoming less relevant. Companies are focused on hiring people who are skilled in technologies like machine learning, AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, etc., to ensure they can capitalize on the advancements in AI and Robotics. For example, Walmart plans to cut over 1500 jobs as part of the restructuring. They said they will now hire for specialized roles for their automated sorting facilities. IBM is also hiring more engineers and salespeople.
What Can Programmers Do But AI Can’t?
Companies will slowly incorporate AI into their businesses, as AI is a great technology to simplify operations. However, programmers and developers will still be needed for complex decision-making, creativity, and reliability. IBM CHRO Nickle LaMoreaux has also echoed this saying, “Very few roles will be completely replaced”.
- Debugging: AI is not immune to making errors. We have already discussed the case of Tesla’s FSD. So, human programmers will always be needed to intervene and fix the issues faced by AI systems.
- Custom Solutions: AI is capable of handling common situations, but if it faces any unique situation, it fails to act. And, it will continue to happen as AI learn from the data fed. AI cannot work on a problem for which it has no reference or data to look at. Human programmers will be needed to feed data and train AI to improve and work better.
- Innovation: Programmers use their creativity, customer insight, and life experiences to create products that solve a certain issue. AI still has a long road to tread to reach that level of thought.
How Can Programmers Beat Artificial Intelligence?
AI is here, and it will be there in the future. But don’t get overwhelmed by the view that it’s the end of jobs for humans. To stay valuable to employers, consider adding skills that they need.
- Master in-demand skills: Learn skills that most companies are hiring for. Skills like AI, machine learning, cloud computing, and cybersecurity are some of the areas where hiring is booming. Whether you are a programmer or a fresher willing to start a career in programming, consider upskilling with training programs like SynergisticIT that help you learn relevant skills in 5-6 months and prepare for the job market.
- Soft Skills: Soft skills like communication, people management, problem-solving, adaptability, etc., will be key qualities that will help you stand out. The World Economic Forum report also mentioned the 10 key qualities for job seekers in 2020.
A combination of great tech skills and soft skills will help you stand out and stay relevant in the AI world.
Conclusion
You may feel AI is a doom for your programming career, but AI replacing human programmers is just hype. As explained, AI has many limitations. It has a long way to becoming error-free, let alone replacing humans. A McKinsey report says 80% of programming work will still need human input, even with AI. If you want to take your programming career to new heights, learn to work with AI and use it as a tool for being more productive and valuable.
Companies and tech leaders may make AI an excuse to lay off people, but this used to happen even when AI was not there. So, if you want to become irreplaceable, be equipped with great tech and soft skills. AI can replace low-average programmers, but replacing highly skilled programmers is simply impossible.