In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, software engineers find themselves at a crossroads. Once a bastion of job security and lucrative salaries, this profession is facing significant upheaval as AI tools transform the landscape of coding and development. With layoffs on the rise and job descriptions evolving, many engineers are turning to new skill sets, embracing traditional coding practices, and seeking collective action to safeguard their futures.
The Shift in Job Landscape
In 2022, software engineering stood tall as one of the highest-paying professions in the United States, with an average salary exceeding £150,000 per year. However, the emergence of AI technologies, particularly OpenAI’s ChatGPT, has disrupted this once stable field. Since the introduction of these tools, over 600,000 tech workers in the U.S. have lost their jobs, according to Layoff.fyi. The unemployment rate among computer science graduates has surged to 7%, with many facing underemployment as they grapple with a changing job market.
Matt, a software engineer who prefers to remain anonymous, spends his daily four-hour train commute meticulously coding a browser-based video game. He’s determined to keep his skills sharp amidst a growing reliance on AI for coding tasks. “I’m trying not to leverage AI where I can,” he remarked, highlighting his concern that the shift towards AI-generated code could diminish his coding abilities.
Adapting to New Realities
As the profession evolves, software engineers are now being encouraged to shift their focus from traditional coding to evaluating AI-generated code. This transition has left many feeling uncertain about the future. Bouke Klein Teeselink, an assistant professor at King’s College London, explained that while the ability to write code may be waning, the skill to assess and refine AI-generated code is becoming increasingly vital. “AI is hugely augmenting what it means to be a software engineer,” he noted.
George Dover, a software engineer from Portland, Oregon, experienced this seismic shift firsthand after being laid off in late 2024. He took on a temporary role as a substitute kindergarten teacher while exploring new opportunities. Rather than succumbing to despair, Dover embraced AI, utilising it to generate code for websites while learning to evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. His persistence paid off, landing him a new position focused on AI development after submitting 400 job applications.
The Call for Collective Action
As anxiety about job security mounts, many engineers are banding together to advocate for better protections and support within the industry. Kaitlin Cort, a former software engineer, recognised the challenges posed by AI and decided to establish a resource centre for tech workers. “I can see that the pace at which AI was getting better was faster than the pace at which I was getting better,” she explained.
Cort founded a centre called What We Will, aimed at helping tech workers navigate layoffs, negotiate severance, and access basic income. The centre’s campaigns have already begun to make waves, providing crucial support to those affected by the rapid adoption of AI technologies. “There’s a lot of need right now,” she stated, emphasising the lack of existing frameworks for workers in this rapidly changing environment.
Why it Matters
The rapid evolution of AI is reshaping the software engineering profession in profound ways. As engineers contend with job insecurity and evolving expectations, their response—whether through skill adaptation or collective action—will determine the future landscape of the industry. This moment is critical not only for individual careers but also for the broader societal implications of how we integrate AI into our work lives. The need for human oversight and evaluation of AI-generated code underscores the irreplaceable value of skilled engineers, even in an AI-dominated future. As they navigate this new terrain, the resilience and adaptability of software engineers will ultimately shape the trajectory of technological innovation.
