Programming has had its day: “If you’re still coding by hand a year from now, you’ll be a dinosaur”

Programming under pressure: AI is radically changing the profession

Hand coding is on the verge of becoming a thing of the past. Where programmers were once indispensable for writing every single line of code, smart AI systems are now taking over that role at lightning speed. In the United States, some are already talking about an “AI apocalypse.” But what does this mean for Dutch programmers—and how can we make sure we are prepared for the future?

The shift in the programming profession

According to an article in de Volkskrant, traditional programming has had its day. Advanced AI tools can generate entire blocks of code within seconds—work that used to take days. As a result, the role of the programmer is increasingly under pressure. In the U.S., experts are even warning that anyone still writing code entirely by hand next year will be considered “a dinosaur.”

The debate in America

Meanwhile, a heated discussion is taking place in the United States about AI regulation. The central question: should Washington set national rules, or should individual states be allowed to design their own frameworks? A ten-year moratorium on state-level AI legislation is on the table, but critics warn this is a dangerous gamble. If federal regulation arrives too late or proves ineffective, citizens risk facing the darker side of AI—deepfakes, biased algorithms, or even wrongful arrests.

Lessons for the Netherlands

The impact of AI is also being felt in the Netherlands. More and more organizations are exploring how to use AI to speed up and automate work. At the same time, there is a growing need for IT professionals who can design AI systems, manage them, and evaluate their reliability and ethics. For programmers, this means a fundamental shift: less focus on manual coding, more emphasis on steering and controlling AI.

Conclusion

The rise of AI does not mean the end of programming, but it does mark a radical transformation. For programmers in the Netherlands, the challenge is clear: develop new skills, learn how to use AI strategically, and adapt to the technology of tomorrow. Only then will the profession remain relevant. And only then will there be room for human expertise in a world increasingly driven by AI.

Read the full article here:

📌 Source: Volkskrant – “Programming Has Had Its Day” (August 27, 2025)

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