Code is cheap now, but coding Isn't: Why software still needs skilled developers

Keegan Donley
Kizen

Stevenson 1300
12:00 PM

The process of writing software has seen multiple dramatic shifts since the dawn of computing. Most recently, with the invention of large language models and coding agents, more people than ever are proclaiming the end of the job of a software developer. My work has shown the opposite: The developers who succeed in this new world have built and developed skills in leveraging AI as a powerful tool, but additionally have still put in the work to build strong foundational skills in programming, architecture, and product development. I’ll share my journey from my company’s AI skeptic, to one of its most prolific users of these new tools. We’ll explore which skills are the most important in a world where writing code is now the cheap part of the job, but also only the beginning of the process.