AI will boost recruitment of developers, not replace them: GitHub CEO

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke believes that companies making the most of artificial intelligence (AI) will not cut back on human developers, but instead increase hiring to benefit from the productivity boost AI enables.

"The companies that are the smartest are going to hire more developers," Dohmke said on a recent episode of The Silicon Valley Girl Podcast. "Because if you 10x a single developer, then 10 developers can do 100x."

According to Dohmke, AI acts as a force multiplier for engineering talent, enhancing individual output rather than replacing workers. He sees recent layoffs and hiring slowdowns across the tech industry as a short-term correction while companies assess how to fully integrate AI into their operations.

Also Read: Tech layoffs: Microsoft, TikTok lead latest round of job cuts

While AI tools have made programming easier for beginners and more efficient for experienced coders, Dohmke pointed out that strong technical skills are still essential in professional settings. He pushed back against the belief that AI alone can power massive startups without coding knowledge.

"I think the idea that AI without any coding skills lets you just build a billion-dollar business is mistaken," he said. "Because if that would be the case, everyone would do it."

Dohmke added that instead of shrinking developer workloads, AI has unlocked new possibilities, enabling teams to take on projects that were previously out of reach. So far, he said, no company has eliminated developer tasks entirely.

He called the current period "the most exciting time" to be a developer, noting that AI has made it more feasible to turn weekend project ideas into fully functioning mobile apps within hours.