Why every generation thinks the next programmer understands less—and why AI changes the burden of proof, not the need for engineering.
"Developers can't even explain their own code anymore."
If you've spent any time around software lately, you've probably seen some version of that argument.
The culprit, we're told, is AI.
Developers are prompting language models, accepting generated code, and shipping software they couldn't possibly explain line by line. Somewhere between autocomplete and autonomous agents, we supposedly crossed a professional line. We traded craftsmanship for convenience.
