Editorial illustration for Anthropic, DeepMind, Node.js Leaders Say AI Will Replace Most Coding in a Year
AI to Replace Most Coding Within 12 Months, Experts Say
Anthropic, DeepMind, Node.js Leaders Say AI Will Replace Most Coding in a Year
The chatter around AI‑generated code has moved from academic labs to boardrooms, and the stakes feel suddenly tangible. At the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, a handful of industry heavyweights—including leaders from Anthropic, DeepMind and the Node.js community—converged to argue that the era of developers hand‑crafting every line may be ending faster than most forecasts allow. Their claim rests on a string of recent breakthroughs in machine‑learning models that can not only suggest snippets but also stitch together complete applications, run tests and even deploy them.
While skeptics point to the complexity of legacy systems and the need for human oversight, the proponents cite a rapid acceleration in model capability, benchmark scores and real‑world deployments that suggest a tipping point is near. If the predictions hold, the ripple effects could reshape hiring, education and the economics of software firms within months. The conversation reached a crescendo when Dario Amodei, Anthropic’s chief executive, put a definitive timeline on the horizon.
Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, also believes that automation of software coding may be closer than many expect, with AI systems poised to take over most end-to-end programming work within the next year. Speaking at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, Amodei said that recent advances in AI coding tools are already changing how engineers work inside his company and could soon redefine the software industry more broadly. The session featured Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, who also spoke about the impact of AI on work and jobs.
"I have engineers within Anthropic who say, 'I don't write any code anymore. I just let the model write the code. I edit it, I do the things around it,'" Amodei said.
The key driver, according to Amodei, is a feedback loop in which AI systems that are good at coding and AI research are used to build the next generation of models. However, Amodei cautioned that not every part of AI development can be automated. Physical constraints such as chip manufacturing, model training time, and infrastructure still impose limits.
Even so, he said it is difficult to envision a scenario where full-scale automation of coding takes significantly longer than a few years. AI May Disrupt Entry-Level Jobs AI is beginning to affect internships and entry-level jobs, but it could also help young people become job-ready faster, Hassabis said. He added that the shift toward fewer junior roles and greater individual leverage through AI is likely to accelerate over the next five years.
Hassabis said there are early signs that AI is already affecting hiring at the bottom of the career ladder.
The statements from Dahl, Amodei and other AI leaders paint a swift shift toward automated development. Dahl’s tweet declares the “era of humans writing code is over,” yet he concedes engineers will still matter, just not for typing syntax. Amodei’s remarks at Davos echo that sentiment, suggesting AI could handle “most end‑to‑end programming work within the next year.” DeepMind and the Node.js community echo the same timeline, reinforcing the narrative of rapid change.
What remains unclear is how the broader software ecosystem will adapt when the act of writing code recedes from daily practice. Will engineers transition to higher‑level design, oversight of AI outputs, or entirely new responsibilities? The article offers no data on deployment challenges, error rates or the capacity of current AI models to manage complex, domain‑specific projects.
Thus, while the confidence expressed is notable, the practical implications for development teams, education pathways and project management are still uncertain.
Further Reading
- NodeJS creator says era of humans writing code is over, suggests next options for software engineers - India Today
- How AI Shapes JavaScript and Web Development Trends for 2026 - DHTMLX
- MIT Names Generative AI Coding a 2026 Breakthrough - Byteiota
- AI Couldn't Replace Programmers After All - Silicon Valley Gradient
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Common Questions Answered
According to the article, what percentage of code did Anthropic's CEO predict would be written by AI?
[Anthropic's CEO, Dario Amodei, predicted that within six months 90% of all code would be written by AI](https://www.technologyreview.com). This bold claim was made in the context of discussing the rapid advancement of AI coding technologies and their potential to transform software development.
What mixed reviews did developers share about GPT-5's coding capabilities?
[Developers found GPT-5 to be a mixed bag, with strengths in technical reasoning and task planning](https://www.wired.com). However, some criticized the model for generating unnecessary or redundant code, and noted that competing models like Anthropic's Opus and Sonnet still produce better code in many instances.
How are major tech companies characterizing their current AI-generated code production?
[Both Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Google CEO Sundar Pichai have claimed that around a quarter of their companies' code is now AI-generated](https://www.technologyreview.com). This statistic highlights the growing integration of AI coding tools in major technology companies' development processes.