Eric Schmidt has declared a seismic shift in programming roles, stating that the best programmers no longer write code but instead focus on writing specifications and setting evaluation criteria. This transformation is largely driven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), which Schmidt believes will redefine the tech landscape.

In a striking example, Schmidt described a startup programmer whose AI was able to complete tasks that would have traditionally taken six months and required ten engineers at Google. “The best programmers don’t write code anymore, they write specs, set evaluation criteria, and let AI work overnight,” he noted.

Schmidt argues that as AI continues to evolve, top programmers will become more valuable, not less. He predicts that these skilled engineers will become ten times more valuable as they shift their focus to high-level system orchestration and business automation.

According to Schmidt, AI’s most significant impact will be in automating the tedious and costly backbone of corporate operations, including billing, accounting, and logistics. “AI’s real impact will be automating the ‘boring’ backbone of business,” he stated, emphasizing the potential for efficiency gains.