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The big picture: The rise of AI in software engineering has sparked debate about the future of programming jobs, especially for those entering the field. While the percentage of AI-written code is likely to continue evolving, the need for skilled human judgment is not expected to disappear anytime soon.
At the recent LlamaCon conference, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella offered a glimpse into how deeply AI has become woven into the fabric of modern software development. “I’d say maybe 20 percent, 30 percent of the code that is inside of our repos today and some of our projects are probably all written by software,” he said.
Nadella joined Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on stage to discuss AI’s evolving role, particularly in the context of open-source innovation. Their conversation underscored a broader trend: AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a practical tool already reshaping how software is built at the world’s largest technology companies.
Nadella asked Zuckerberg what percentage of Meta’s code is generated by AI. Zuckerberg said he did not have an exact number, but explained that Meta is working on developing an AI system capable of creating future versions of its Llama models.
“Our bet is sort of that in the next year probably … maybe half the development is going to be done by AI, as opposed to people, and then that will just kind of increase from there,” Zuckerberg said.
Microsoft and Meta are not alone in using AI to write code. Last year, Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed that AI generates a quarter of new code at the tech giant. Earlier this month, Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke informed staff that teams must demonstrate why AI cannot accomplish a task before seeking approval to add more employees. In a similar move, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn announced in a company-wide memo that the language-learning platform will gradually reduce its reliance on contractors for work that can be automated, as part of a shift to an “AI-first” approach.
It is not surprising that these tech firms are turning to AI, the primary value of which is handling repetitive, data-heavy, and predictable programming tasks. By automating these areas, companies can boost efficiency and reduce the need for entry-level coding positions – to the dismay of new graduates and aspiring software engineers.
Nadella noted that Microsoft has seen the most success with AI-generated code in Python, a language known for its straightforward syntax and flexible design. In contrast, languages like C and C++ present greater challenges for automation due to their complexity and their need for precise memory management.
Despite the growing reliance on AI, Nadella emphasized that human oversight remains crucial. While AI-generated code has advanced significantly, experienced engineers must review and refine what the algorithms produce.
As Nadella put it, certain critical projects, such as major updates to the Windows operating system, are unlikely to be entrusted to AI alone.
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