The Truth About AI and Coding: More Jobs, Not Fewer

When artificial intelligence first began writing code, the headlines were dramatic: “AI Will Replace Developers.” “The End of Programming.” “Robots Will Write All the Apps.”

But the reality unfolding inside tech teams and startups looks very different. Instead of replacing human developers, AI coding tools are making them more productive, more strategic, and more essential than ever. And as companies across every industry rush to build smarter software, that productivity boost is leading not to layoffs – but to more hiring.

Read on to find out how AI is reshaping software development, unlocking new kinds of roles, and driving one of the biggest hiring waves in tech!

 

AI Is Fueling a Software Boom, Not a Slowdown

So, let’s look at current data first: According to Morgan Stanley Research, the software development market is on track to grow 20% annually, rising from $24 billion in 2024 to $61 billion by 2029. CIOs also plan to increase software spending by 3.9% in 2026, outpacing other IT categories such as hardware and communications.

This investment surge isn’t happening despite AI – it’s happening because of it. With AI tools lowering the cost and complexity of building software, companies can afford to create more applications, explore more use cases, and experiment faster.

The result is a self-reinforcing cycle: faster development leads to more projects, which in turn require more engineers for testing, security, integration, and deployment. Even AI-generated code needs to be reviewed, debugged, and validated – by humans.

As Morgan Stanley’s research notes, this dynamic is expected to increase demand for skilled developers by between 1.6% and 10% per year over the coming decade.

Recent data from the Bloomberry Job Index confirms that software engineering remains one of the most resilient sectors in the job market. While total global job postings fell 8% from 2024 to 2025, software engineering roles stayed stable – and in many regions, they grew.

The sharpest job declines were seen in execution-heavy creative roles such as writers, photographers, and graphic artists. But technical and AI-related roles are booming:

• Machine Learning Engineer positions are up 40%, the fastest-growing role worldwide.
• Robotics, AI research, and data center operations are all expanding.
• Software engineering roles remain strong, supported by AI tools that boost productivity rather than eliminate the need for humans.

This is consistent with previous waves of technological change. Automation tends to reduce demand for narrowly defined, routine tasks while increasing demand for people who can design, direct, and integrate complex systems. In other words, when AI takes over the easy parts, the hard parts become more valuable.

 

 

From Coders to Strategists: The New Role of Developers

AI is changing not just what developers do, but how they’re valued. Instead of being judged purely on how much code they write, developers are now evaluated on the quality of their thinking – how well they can frame problems, integrate AI tools, and design systems that scale.

In Morgan Stanley’s analysis, engineers are evolving into curators, reviewers, and orchestrators, managing AI-generated output while focusing their efforts on architecture, logic, and long-term maintenance. That shift makes developers more integral to business strategy. They’re no longer just implementers – they’re collaborators who shape what technology means for the organization.

A major trend reshaping the software industry in 2025 is the rise of the Forward-Deployed Engineer (FDE) – a hybrid role that combines deep technical skill with client-facing problem solving. The concept has now been embraced by AI leaders such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. According to Indeed data, job listings for FDEs jumped 800% between January and September 2025.

FDEs work directly with customers – banks, healthcare providers, manufacturers – to tailor AI models to real-world needs. They bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and practical implementation, ensuring that complex AI systems actually deliver business value. An OpenAI team, for example, collaborated with John Deere to help the company reduce chemical use in agriculture by up to 70% using AI-driven precision tools.

This kind of work simply can’t be automated away. It requires empathy, creativity, and the ability to translate between business goals and technical realities. The rise of the Forward-Deployed Engineer shows how AI is spawning entirely new categories of software jobs – ones that are more human, not less.

 

The Human Skills That AI Can’t Replace

For all its power, AI still lacks three qualities that define great software engineers:

1. Contextual understanding – knowing why something matters to a business or user.
2. Ethical judgment – deciding how data should (or shouldn’t) be used.
3. Creativity and intuition – spotting patterns or opportunities that no algorithm could anticipate.

These are precisely the skills that become more valuable as automation advances. Companies don’t just need more people who can write code – they need more people who can think critically about the code AI produces.

And in client-facing environments, communication and collaboration skills are becoming as crucial as technical expertise. That’s why roles like the Forward-Deployed Engineer are growing so fast: they represent the fusion of human empathy and machine capability.

 

The Future: Developers as Conductors of Intelligent Systems

The evolution of coding mirrors the evolution of music. A century ago, composing required writing every note by hand. Today, digital tools allow musicians to generate, sample, and edit sound instantly – but the best music still comes from human taste and direction.

The same is true of software. AI can now generate code, but developers conduct the orchestra: deciding what to build, how it fits together, and what serves the audience best.

The most successful developers of the next decade will be those who can think abstractly, communicate clearly, and harness AI creatively. They’ll be strategists, designers, and innovators – and there will be more of them, not fewer.

 

 

Find Technology Jobs or Experts – with Amoria Bond

By removing repetitive work, AI frees engineers to innovate faster and collaborate more deeply. By lowering barriers to entry, it opens the door for more startups and small teams to create world-changing software. And by generating more software overall, it increases demand for oversight, integration, and creative direction.

At Amoria Bond, we also believe technology should empower people, not replace them. As AI reshapes the landscape of software development, we’re helping companies build the teams and strategies they need to thrive in this new era of human + machine collaboration.

If you’re looking to grow your engineering team or explore AI-driven opportunities, get in touch with our specialist technology recruiters today.