Coders won't become jobless: GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke challenges myth that AI will replace techies

Companies that adopt artificial intelligence in a structured and strategic way are likely to expand their software engineering teams instead of cutting them, GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke said in a recent podcast interview. He said that businesses that use AI to increase productivity will require more developers to handle the rising scale and complexity of projects.

Companies hiring more developers with AI adoption
"The companies that are the smartest are going to hire more developers," Dohmke said. "Because if you 10x a single developer, then 10 developers can do 100x," as reported by The Times of India.

Dohmke described AI as a multiplier for developer productivity rather than a replacement for human roles. He said recent layoffs and hiring slowdowns in the industry are temporary, as businesses are still understanding how AI will change their priorities and processes.

AI expands possibilities for engineering teams
According to Dohmke, AI has helped developers take on projects that were once too large or complex to manage. This shift has not reduced workload, but increased the scope of what teams can build.

“It’s now possible to go from a concept on a Sunday morning to a working mobile app by the evening,” he said, explaining how development cycles are getting faster with AI support.

He also said he has not seen any company completely remove developer roles due to AI. Instead, AI tools have allowed engineering teams to aim for more challenging and larger-scale goals.

Technical skills still matter in the age of AI
While AI has lowered the barrier to entry for beginners and helped speed up tasks for experienced developers, Dohmke said deep technical expertise is still required to build successful software products.

"I think the idea that AI without any coding skills lets you just build a billion-dollar business is mistaken," he said. "Because if that would be the case, everyone would do it."

Dohmke described the present moment as the “most exciting time” to work in software development, with AI pushing the industry closer to the long-term goal of quickly transforming ideas into real applications.

(With inputs from TOI)