Agentic coding tools such as Claude Code and GitHub Co-Pilot will transform roles and careers within the software engineering profession.
Specifically, it seems likely that there will be:
- Reduced demand for software engineering roles where primary responsibilities can be automated by agentic coding tools. For example, refactoring code, writing tests and authoring documentation.
- Increased demand for software engineering roles where primary responsibilities cannot readily be automated by agentic coding tools. For example, technical leadership, governance and oversight.
Software engineering roles that have typically included responsibilities relating to technical leadership, governance and oversight have been those at more senior levels. However, it seems likely that such responsibilities will become expectations of a significant proportion of software engineering roles.
Software engineers require opportunities to develop the skills, knowledge and experience that are required to fulfil these transformed roles. For example, defining, monitoring and assessing work undertaken by multiple AI agents. However, it is not clear whether and how such opportunities will be provided.
Organisations, sectors and governments need to consider how to define and support viable career pathways in a transformed software engineering profession. Reducing opportunities in more junior roles and relying on those already in more senior roles is unlikely to be a sustainable solution.
Some helpful books on the software engineering profession include: ‘The Staff Engineer’s Path’ by Camille Fournier and ‘The Manager’s Path’ by Tanya Reilly; both published by O’Reilly.
Read about Claude Code at: https://www.anthropic.com/product/claude-code.
Read about GitHub Co-Pilot at: https://github.com/features/copilot.