Developers Say Coding With AI Feels Less Like Typing, More Like Managing a Team
A recent essay making the rounds on Hacker News describes a shift many developers are noticing: instead of writing code line by line, they're now delegating tasks to AI tools, reviewing output, giving feedback, and course-correcting when the AI goes off track. The author compares this to being a manager or team lead rather than an individual contributor - you're setting direction, checking work, and stepping in when something looks wrong, rather than producing the work yourself.
The piece resonated with commenters who noted that this shift requires different skills than traditional coding: clear communication, breaking down problems into well-scoped tasks, and knowing when to trust versus double-check AI output.
This isn't a universal experience - it depends heavily on the tool, the codebase, and the type of task - but it captures a common thread in how senior developers describe their day-to-day changing.