Will AI Replace Developers? Why My Answer Is Still No in 2025
I remember being asked after my conference talk about web scraping in 2023 if I thought AI would replace developers.
It was a time when GPT models were able to produce junior-like code that sometimes ran on the first try. And still, people were impressed enough to think that this would replace us.
Now we have the magnificent Opus 4.5, which, when used with great agentic coding tools, can one-shot an entire app. And still, my answer to the question “Will AI replace developers?” is NO.
2025: The Craziest Year for AI Releases
2025 was the craziest year when it comes to tech releases. We’ve seen so many great models and tools. My biggest struggle was finding time to test all those LLMs. And we can expect even more in 2026.
The current state of AI is really impressive. Models are smart, efficient, and can be incredibly helpful.
But AI is always just a tool. A very complex tool. And each complex tool requires a skilled operator.
What Can LLMs Help You With?
- Code reviews
- Fixing bugs
- Generating code
- Learning new skills
- And thousands of other use cases
But they can’t think for you. Vibe coding works only if you know what you’re doing, what you want to achieve, and usually how to achieve it.
Think of AI Agent Coding Tools as a Software House
- You give the instructions
- You get the app code back with explanations and documentation
But even if you have the full code, you still need the knowledge of how to work with it, how to deploy it, and so on.
So if there are thousands of software houses and companies are still hiring so many developers to build things internally, you shouldn’t be that afraid of losing your job to AI—if you’re a good developer.
The Reality of AI as a Coding Partner
And remember that AI is not a great software house. It’s a cheap and unreliable one that:
- Makes a lot of mistakes
- Sometimes acts dumb
- Doesn’t understand your needs
- Can stop working because of technical issues
The Bottom Line
AI is not going to replace developers.
But it has already changed the way we code and develop apps. Now, using AI is essential for efficient development. Smart usage of LLMs can make the entire software creation process safer, less problematic, and faster.
Let’s see what 2026 will bring and how fast the industry will adapt.