Traditional way of coding is over, says former Google CEO Eric Schmidt

Eric Schmidt's recent remarks have sparked debate online after he claimed Ai is rapidly replacing traditional coding methods used by engineers

  Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt believes the era of programmers writing code line by line is already coming to an end as artificial intelligence rapidly changes the way software is created.

 

In a short video clip shared by Special Competitive Studies Project, Schmidt said engineers who are still coding “the old way” should stop because AI systems are increasingly capable of generating code on their own. According to him, programmers are now moving towards a future where they guide and supervise AI tools instead of manually writing every instruction themselves.

 

The end of an era

 

Speaking at the Ai+ Expo, Schmidt said the software industry witnessed a major shift late last year and added that many top engineers are no longer writing most of the code themselves.

 

“If you're writing code in any traditional way: stop. It's over,” he said, while explaining that Ai models can now generate large portions of software much faster than humans.

 

Schmidt also admitted that the rapid transformation has left him “in mourning” as he has spent more than 50 years programming. Reflecting on the changes taking place in the industry, he said it feels strange to watch the profession evolve so dramatically within his lifetime.

 

He urged managers to challenge their teams, suggesting they should ask their staff, "Why are you still writing code the way you did it six months ago?"

 

Engineers are now guiding AI tools

 

During the discussion, Schmidt explained that developers are increasingly shifting towards supervising, testing and refining Ai-generated outputs instead of creating software entirely from scratch.

 

He said engineers now need to focus more on asking the right questions and understanding how to direct AI systems effectively because that will become a key skill in the future of programming.

 

Schmidt also pointed out that software productivity, is set to increase dramatically with the rise of Ai. According to him, the shift could allow individuals to create “incredibly powerful applications” that would previously have required entire teams of engineers to build.

 

A bigger conversation around AI and jobs

 

The former Google chief also touched on the broader impact of AI during the expo conversation and suggested that the technology is transforming industries at a much faster pace than many people expected.

 

While Schmidt did not say programming jobs would disappear completely, his remarks reflected a growing belief that software developers will increasingly work alongside AI rather than rely only on traditional coding methods.

 

His comments have since triggered widespread discussion online, especially among engineers and tech professionals debating what the future of programming could look like in the Ai era.