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3471Chamath Palihapitiya is once again making waves. The billionaire investor and former SPAC king says software engineers could soon find themselves out of a job—or at least, in a very different one. In a March 27 post on X, replying to a tweet by Replit CEO Amjad Masad that said, “I no longer think you should learn to code,” he wrote, “The engineer’s role will be supervisory, at best, within 18 months.”
AI Will Reshape Engineering
Palihapitiya backed that take, saying AI will take over the heavy lifting of software development, and that building tools for engineers will become irrelevant: “Building tools for them will be roadkill for the model makers product roadmap.”
The statement sparked intense debate across social media. Critics called it a doomsday scenario or accused him of chasing headlines. Others agreed that AI is already transforming how engineers work—and that many coding tasks can now be done by large language models.
One user pointed out that to supervise AI effectively, you still need to understand code. Another added, “AI tools won’t replace engineers—just shift the game. Coding teaches problem-solving no bot can replicate. Adapt, don’t quit.”
Chamath’s AI Pivot and Pushback
Palihapitiya himself doubled down and offered advice on what kids should focus on instead of software development. “Philosophy, psychology, history, physics and English writing,” he said.
That outlook lines up with his broader pivot toward AI. In January, he announced a new incubator project called 8090. “Tell us what enterprise software you use and my team and I will build you an 80% feature complete version at a 90% discount,” he wrote.
The plan caught the eye of Mark Cuban, who responded, “I would read the tax rules on Sec 174 and how it deals with amortizing R&D with foreign developers. Your approach will cost you a fortune in taxes.”
It’s not the first time Palihapitiya has made bold tech predictions or business moves. But critics say his track record is mixed, especially when it comes to retail investors. A popular YouTube video by Logically Answered accused him of manipulating public sentiment while selling his own stakes quietly behind the scenes.
The video cited his Tesla trades as one example: while publicly defending Tesla and telling people not to sell, Palihapitiya had reportedly been selling his shares for months. The video also called out the collapse of most of his SPAC-backed companies, including Virgin Galactic, Clover Health and SoFi, which are now down more than 90%.
The Bigger Picture
His defenders argue he’s simply ahead of the curve, always thinking two steps ahead. Others see him as a savvy marketer who uses attention to position himself for future ventures—possibly even in politics.
Whether his 18-month prediction comes true or not, one thing is clear: the role of engineers is changing fast. But if Palihapitiya is right, the next generation might be better off learning how to think than how to code.
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