AI is coming for most internet jobs, Anthropic engineer warns
What's the story
Boris Cherny, a leading engineer at Anthropic and the mind behind Claude Code, has predicted a major shift in the job market. Speaking on "Lenny's Podcast," Cherny said that advanced AI chatbots will soon be able to operate computers and perform tasks across various workplace computer tools. This could lead to them taking over multiple roles, including those of software engineers, product managers, and designers, among others.
Job disruption
Cherny acknowledges the impending disruption
Cherny said, "It's going to expand to pretty much any kind of work that you can do on a computer." He acknowledged the impending disruption caused by AI systems like those developed by Anthropic, calling it painful for many people. The engineer also noted that his own team now uses AI for faster work, resulting in increased productivity per engineer since the launch of their new tool.
Tech advancement
Claude code can perform various tasks
Unlike traditional AI chatbots that generate text and images, the Claude Code AI agent can run commands, analyze documents, message colleagues, complete tasks across apps, and even build websites. Cherny said he believes these models will only get better over time. In a recent interview with Y Combinator's "Lightcone" podcast, he predicted the title of software engineer would start to "go away" by 2026.
Future guidance
Experiment with AI tools, understand how they work: Cherny
Cherny also warned about the uncertainty of AI's broader impact on society. He advised workers to experiment with these tools and understand how they work, saying "Don't be scared of them." His comments come as layoffs in various tech roles and companies continue globally due to the rise of AI technologies.