Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has raised fresh concerns about the future of developer jobs, revealing that artificial intelligence (AI) at Meta is already reaching the capabilities of mid-level software engineers. During a podcast with YouTuber Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg shared his perspective about the role of AI in coding and its potential disruption in the job market.

He said that by 2025, AI at Meta and other tech companies could effectively replace mid-level engineers who currently write code. This would represent a major change in how tech companies approach software development.

“We will get to the point where all the code in our apps, and even the AI ​​generated from them, will be written by AI engineers rather than laypeople,” he said. For context, Business Insider reported that mid-level software engineers at Meta currently earn salaries in the mid-sixties — a cost AI can significantly reduce.

Zuckerberg’s comments come at a time when other tech giants like Google and IBM are also integrating AI into their operations, raising similar concerns. Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently announced that more than 25 percent of all new code at Google is now generated by AI, with human engineers taking the lead for final review. Meanwhile, IBM’s CEO, Arvind Krishna, revealed that by 2023, AI could replace up to 30 percent of the company’s back-office roles. The trend, seen across a variety of sectors, is sparking debate about the future of traditional coding jobs.

Are the jobs of human engineers in danger?

Zuckerberg’s latest announcement and Google’s recent comments on AI taking over coding tasks suggest that the role of human engineers is changing, potentially creating fewer coding jobs in the traditional sense. Instead of wasting time on routine tasks, engineers may need to focus on high-level problem-solving and monitoring AI-generated code. As AI becomes more integrated into technical workflows, junior and entry-level coding positions may become scarce, forcing aspiring developers to rethink their career paths.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom for engineers. The growing role of AI in code creation could actually empower coders to focus on more strategic and creative aspects of development. It is important to note that human engineers cannot be replaced in the long run as they can solve complex issues that AI cannot handle alone. As routine tasks become increasingly automated, the importance of these core competencies will increase, giving greater importance to the skills that complement AI.

This tech company has stopped hiring humans

Meta is not alone in its AI journey. Klarna, a leading fintech company, has also favored AI-powered automation, reducing its workforce by 20 percent over the past year without hiring replacements. Sebastian Siemiatkowski, CEO of Klarna, has openly stated that AI now performs almost all tasks traditionally handled by human employees, signaling another shift towards an AI-dominated future.

The company, which previously had 4,500 employees, now has 3,500. According to the CEO, the reduction was a natural result of the typical 20 percent annual attrition rate at tech companies.