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Stop coding like before, the era is over: Ex-Google CEO
AI has accelerated software development to an unprecedented pace

Stop coding like before, the era is over: Ex-Google CEO

May 17, 2026
12:53 pm

What's the story

Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, has declared that the era of traditional coding is over. He made this statement at an industry conference while addressing the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on software development. The tech veteran said that AI has accelerated software development to an unprecedented pace and warned developers and company leaders to adapt or risk falling behind in this new age.

Adaptation required

If you're still coding like 6 months ago, you're behind

Schmidt's warning was clear: if you're still coding like you did six months ago, you're already behind. He said the transformation started picking up pace late last year when AI coding systems became much more powerful. The former Google CEO urged company leaders to rethink their software teams' operations in light of this rapid evolution in technology.

Productivity revolution

AI-assisted development could make software creation exponentially faster

Schmidt said that the biggest disruption from this shift would be in productivity. He said AI-assisted development could make software creation exponentially faster, a task that was once considered one of the world's economy's biggest bottlenecks. The former Google CEO also suggested that tasks requiring large engineering teams could soon be handled by individuals using advanced AI tools.

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Industry transformation

Schmidt warns companies to adapt quickly or risk obsolescence

Schmidt believes that this shift could completely reshape the tech industry in the coming years. He said many existing software products could become obsolete as AI makes it easier than ever to rebuild and replace applications. His warning to companies was clear: adapt quickly or risk getting left behind in the AI revolution.

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