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The case for software engineering as AI systems design

An essay argues that engineers’ work is shifting from writing code by hand to designing systems that let AI code correctly at scale, using tests, review agents and feedback loops.

Thomas WolfTW
Susan ZhangSZ
François CholletFC
112 Sources, 16d ago, first seen 16d ago

TLDR

An essay quotes 37signals CTO David Heinemeier Hansson at Rails World on September 23, 2026, arguing that hand-written code is no longer economically productive for the vast majority of programmers at the vast majority of companies. It says Artemis engineers went from merging 2 pull requests a day in January to 16 by August, and cites the company’s CTO saying agents write every line of its platform while engineers design systems, set constraints and review outputs. The essay’s broader argument is that software engineering now centers on verification, feedback loops that learn from failures, and reusable tools and components.

Combined views

3.3M

112 Sources, first seen 16d ago

38.3K likes2.7K comments10K saves3.5K reposts

Combined views

3.3M

112 Sources, first seen 16d ago

38.3K likes2.7K comments10K saves3.5K reposts

Sentiment

Positive36.1%63.9%Negative

Summary

Many accounts objected to claims that writing code by hand is no longer viable for most programmers, viewing the statements as dismissive of skilled work, while positive replies welcomed AI tools for enabling faster shipping and creation.

Based on 2875 sentiment-bearing replies from 2284 accounts across 11 conversations.

Sentiment

Positive36.1%63.9%Negative

Summary

Many accounts objected to claims that writing code by hand is no longer viable for most programmers, viewing the statements as dismissive of skilled work, while positive replies welcomed AI tools for enabling faster shipping and creation.

Based on 2875 sentiment-bearing replies from 2284 accounts across 11 conversations.

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112 Sources

Tomasz Tunguz@ttunguz“Writing code by hand is no longer an economically productive enterprise for the vast majority of programmers working at the vast majority of companies." https://x.com/i/article/210314530231230054416d
Patrick OShaughnessy@patrick_oshagThis talk is so, so good Favorite idea—This photo shows what tech did to number of pictures taken. Now same progression happening to code. Then it’ll happen to…16d
Y Combinator@ycombinatorRT @bradgessler: Lots of SWEs realizing the past few decades of their life pecking out code on a keyboard are no longer needed. I went thr…16d
BOOTOSHI 👑@KingBootoshisoftware engineers 'quitting' because ai makes them feel useless are hilarious to me they just weren't worthy enough to wield the thought-to-reality compiler do they have no thoughts? no grand visions of builds? ambitions? clankas take away the reason to write code manually and they feel like a dud? HOLY SKILL ISSUE16d
Nick Dobos@NickADobosRT @KingBootoshi: software engineers 'quitting' because ai makes them feel useless are hilarious to me they just weren't worthy enough to…15d
Gergely Orosz@GergelyOroszGrady has lived through seveal technology changes (microprocessors, the internet, mobile, now AI) and says that when it all changes, some things are the same in software engineering. He's also saying we're entering anoher "golden age of software engineering" thanks to AI!15d
Pete Skomoroch@peteskomorochRT @GergelyOrosz: That DHH saying out loud that the age of writing code by hand is over for the industry, and causing such a huge uproar is…15d
DHH@dhhRust is a good prompt compilation target for the moment, but so is C++. And soon assembler. Then microcode. Myopic to think we're going to stop the agentic drill bit until it reaches computing bedrock.15d
Hiten Shah@hnshahRT @dhh: The value of programs going forward will be the collection of decisions and designs that encapsulates "what does it do and how doe…15d
brandon@burcssoftware eng lifecycle: >wants to be a game dev >only jobs are for saas engineers >forced to sling javascript for $$$ >ai learns to slop out javascript faster than you >unemployed >finally time to be a game dev15d
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    David Heinemeier Hansson

    112 Sources

    Tomasz Tunguz@ttunguz“Writing code by hand is no longer an economically productive enterprise for the vast majority of programmers working at the vast majority of companies." https://x.com/i/article/210314530231230054416d
    Patrick OShaughnessy@patrick_oshagThis talk is so, so good Favorite idea—This photo shows what tech did to number of pictures taken. Now same progression happening to code. Then it’ll happen to…16d
    Y Combinator@ycombinatorRT @bradgessler: Lots of SWEs realizing the past few decades of their life pecking out code on a keyboard are no longer needed. I went thr…16d
    BOOTOSHI 👑@KingBootoshisoftware engineers 'quitting' because ai makes them feel useless are hilarious to me they just weren't worthy enough to wield the thought-to-reality compiler do they have no thoughts? no grand visions of builds? ambitions? clankas take away the reason to write code manually and they feel like a dud? HOLY SKILL ISSUE16d
    Nick Dobos@NickADobosRT @KingBootoshi: software engineers 'quitting' because ai makes them feel useless are hilarious to me they just weren't worthy enough to…15d
    Gergely Orosz@GergelyOroszGrady has lived through seveal technology changes (microprocessors, the internet, mobile, now AI) and says that when it all changes, some things are the same in software engineering. He's also saying we're entering anoher "golden age of software engineering" thanks to AI!15d
    Pete Skomoroch@peteskomorochRT @GergelyOrosz: That DHH saying out loud that the age of writing code by hand is over for the industry, and causing such a huge uproar is…15d
    DHH@dhhRust is a good prompt compilation target for the moment, but so is C++. And soon assembler. Then microcode. Myopic to think we're going to stop the agentic drill bit until it reaches computing bedrock.15d
    Hiten Shah@hnshahRT @dhh: The value of programs going forward will be the collection of decisions and designs that encapsulates "what does it do and how doe…15d
    brandon@burcssoftware eng lifecycle: >wants to be a game dev >only jobs are for saas engineers >forced to sling javascript for $$$ >ai learns to slop out javascript faster than you >unemployed >finally time to be a game dev15d
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