As artificial intelligence continues to transform the technology landscape, students planning careers in software and engineering are being encouraged to rethink traditional skill paths. During a recent conversation between Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, and entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath, the discussion focused on how AI could redefine technical roles and long-term career opportunities.
Amodei explained that AI systems are expected to take over coding tasks before replacing broader software engineering roles. “I think coding is going away first, or coding is being done by the AI models first,” he said, highlighting the difference between writing code and making decisions about what to build and how systems should function. He added that full end-to-end automation of software engineering will take more time.
For students in India choosing future skills, Amodei advised looking beyond pure coding abilities. He stressed the continued importance of design thinking, understanding user needs, and system-level decision-making. “The elements of design or making something that’s useful to users, or knowing what the demand is those things may still be present,” he said, even as AI handles much of the execution.
He also introduced the idea of “comparative advantage” in an AI-powered workplace, explaining how human contributions can become highly valuable when combined with AI tools. “Even if you’re only doing 5 per cent of the task, that 5 per cent gets super-amplified,” he said.
Amodei pointed to human-centred roles and work connected to the physical world as areas likely to remain stable, where context, regulation, and real-world interaction matter. He also highlighted the semiconductor industry as a sector with strong long-term demand and slower automation risk.
For founders and developers, he cautioned against building superficial AI products. “You shouldn’t be just a wrapper,” he said, urging entrepreneurs to create businesses with strong “moats” built on expertise and depth.
On education, Amodei emphasised critical thinking as a key skill. “Critical thinking skills are going to be really important,” he said, adding that people need “the street smarts not to get fooled” as synthetic content increases. He also warned that careless AI usage can lead to de-skilling. “If folks are not thoughtful in how they use things, then de-skilling absolutely can happen,” he noted, while adding that responsible use can still enhance learning and productivity.
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