Editorial illustration for Developers' Value Shifts to Directing AI Coding Agents, Not Writing Code
AI Coding Agents Reshape Developer Roles and Skills
Developers' Value Shifts to Directing AI Coding Agents, Not Writing Code
Simon Last wrote code for nearly twenty years. He doesn't do that anymore. The Notion cofounder now runs up to four AI coding agents simultaneously, favoring OpenAI's Codex.
That individual career turn reflects a brutal, collective recalculation taking hold across software engineering. For a growing contingent of developers, professional value is no longer anchored in writing lines. It's now rooted in directing them.
For many, a massive piece of their value is now tied to deciding what AI coding agents should work on. The shift is unsettling to those who enjoyed the act of sitting down and actually writing code, but for some of the industry's most "agentic," it's an opportunity. Simon Last, another Notion cofounder, uses AI coding agents more than anyone I've ever met.
He coded for nearly two decades--then abruptly stopped. Now, he's using up to four AI coding agents at any given time (he prefers Codex to Claude Code).
The daily work transforms into a relentless stream of judgment calls. What to build next? What to delegate?
Which agent or prompt will crack this problem? This new reality, demonstrated by Last's complete pivot, forges a role centered on orchestration. On high-level command.
Manual implementation fades into the background. For developers ready to adapt, the tools are already live. The keyboard remains, but its primary function is now tactical control.
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Common Questions Answered
How are AI coding agents changing the role of software developers?
AI coding agents are shifting developers' primary value from directly writing code to directing and framing problems for machine learning systems. Instead of manually typing loops and debugging, developers now focus on high-level strategic guidance and determining which tasks AI agents should tackle.
What approach does Simon Last take with AI coding agents?
Simon Last, a Notion co-founder, uses up to four AI coding agents simultaneously and has completely stopped writing code himself after nearly two decades of traditional programming. He represents a new breed of developer who leverages AI agents as primary tools for software development.
Why do some developers find the transition to AI coding agents unsettling?
Many developers have built careers around the tactile and creative process of hand-crafting code, finding satisfaction in writing software directly. The shift to primarily directing AI agents feels disruptive to their professional identity and challenges their traditional understanding of software development work.
