Okta CEO dismisses AI engineer replacement claims, defying tech leaders

The robots are coming for our jobs! Or so we’ve been told. You’ve probably heard the whispers. Maybe even some shouting.

Dario Amodei, head honcho at AI giant Anthropic, thinks AI will be writing code better than humans soon. Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg is building AI that can code like a seasoned engineer. And Sam Altman? He believes we’ll need fewer coders down the road.

Are software engineers doomed? Not so fast.

Okta CEO Throws Cold Water on AI Jobpocalypse

Todd McKinnon, CEO of Okta (a company worth over $15 billion! ), isn’t buying the hype. He thinks the idea of AI replacing software engineers is, well, a joke.

“I just laugh every time I hear about it,” McKinnon told Business Insider .”This whole ‘we’re gonna have fewer software engineers .’ It’s laughable .”

Instead, he predicts the opposite: more demand, and more software engineers, in the years to come. “In five years, there will be more software engineers,” McKinnon stated.

More Coders Needed? He Explains Why

McKinnon argues that every tech revolution, from PCs to smartphones, has actually increased the need for software engineers. Why? Because AI can handle the boring stuff, freeing up engineers to tackle bigger, more complex challenges.

AI can be your assistant, not your replacement. It can automate the tedious tasks, letting you focus on the creative and strategic work.

But. .. Are Software Engineer Jobs Actually Declining?

Here’s the thing. Some data shows a slight dip in software engineer hiring since the pandemic. Is McKinnon wrong?

Not necessarily. The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 17% growth in software developer jobs over the next decade. That’s “much faster than average,” according to them. They’re estimating over 300,000 new jobs! And the median pay in 2023? A cool $130,160 per year.

The Bottom Line

While AI is undoubtedly changing the tech landscape, the idea of it completely replacing software engineers seems far-fetched. At least, that’s what the CEO of a major tech company believes. And the numbers back him up.

Breathe easy, coders. Your skills are still in demand. The future might just look a little different.