Programming and AI – Is It the End of Developers?

I’ve been hearing for years now that artificial intelligence is going to replace programmers. And every single time, I have one question in mind:
“If AI is going to replace developers, then who’s going to build the next AI?”

It might sound like Twitter bait, but here’s the problem – many beginner devs actually believe it. Because if AI can write code, then why hire a junior?
And that’s where things get interesting.

AI is a helper, not a replacement

Yes, it’s true – AI can write functional code. Sometimes even with comments!
But here’s the catch: if the person using AI has no idea what the code does, things can go sideways really fast.

It’s like giving someone a recipe in Japanese and asking them to make ramen.
Could they pull it off? Maybe. But odds are it’s going to be a culinary disaster.

Same goes for code. AI might write a function that “works” – but if you don’t understand how, why, or when to use it, you’re just setting yourself up for bugs, security issues, or worse – a surprise cloud bill worth thousands of dollars.

Automation ≠ Elimination

Back in the day, you had to write everything manually – CRUD logic, form validation, API connections... That was the norm.
Now? AI can generate 90% of that from a prompt like: “Create a contact form with email validation and webhook integration.”

So does that mean devs are obsolete? Nope. It means that juniors need to level up faster, and seniors get to work smarter – and faster.

Vibe Coding – the new wave?

“Vibe coding” is a thing now – using AI to code without fully understanding what’s going on. Sounds cool, but there’s a catch.
Without understanding the basics of programming, you won’t know what to do when things break.

That’s why developers will still be needed – and not just old-school engineers who write unit tests for fun.

How to use AI well in programming?

Instead of treating AI like a magic wand, treat it like an overachieving intern. It knows a ton, but it still needs guidance.

For example, if you’re using tools like Cursor, you can define rules – for code style, structure, naming conventions.
This way, AI doesn’t just generate something – it generates code that actually fits your project.

It's like having a personal junior dev who never sleeps, never complains, and knows every npm package by heart.