GoKawiil
Tech News
A junior software engineer at Criteo describes being encouraged to use AI coding agents for productivity while also being told to keep deep technical understanding. The piece recounts informal research into how AI has changed day-to-day engineering work, including a shift toward code review and cost-aware practices like token management, and observations of senior engineers to identify what skills still define seniority.
An engineering leader argues that as companies route entry-level coding tasks to AI agents, fewer juniors get the hands-on experience needed to become senior engineers. He compares the looming shortage of experienced engineers to the recent DRAM chip shortage, where demand outpaced supply that couldn't be scaled quickly. He says senior engineers themselves now bear responsibility for deliberately training replacements rather than letting AI erase the bottom of the career ladder.
While many tech firms cite AI code-generation as reason to cut entry-level hiring, one company says it is increasing its junior engineer headcount instead. The company argues that AI tools handle routine coding tasks but cannot substitute for the on-the-job learning that turns junior developers into engineers with real judgment and intuition.