AI's Impact on Tech Jobs: CEO Insights from Terminal's Dinner Parties

Terminal CEO Dylan Serota hosts monthly dinner parties with CTOs, discussing AI coding tools. Despite AI's growth, Serota believes it won't replace software engineering jobs, but rather evolve the role. Tech companies may slow hiring for specific skill sets, but others will increase hiring for general engineering fundamentals. Companies want engineers who can think like engineers, not just write code. Job replacement remains debated, but AI code editors will transform the industry.

Terminal CEO Dylan Serota has been hosting monthly dinner parties with CTOs, where the topic of AI coding tools has been a frequent subject of discussion. Despite the rapid growth of AI, Serota maintains that it will not replace software engineering jobs but rather evolve the role. According to Serota, there is a consensus that the job is changing, but not necessarily being replaced.

Serota noted that while some companies have slowed hiring for software developers, others have sped up. The demand for software engineers is increasing, not decreasing, as per Serota's observations. The type of engineers that tech companies are hiring for has also shifted. Instead of looking for language- or domain-oriented skill sets, companies are now seeking general, highly skilled engineers with a strong foundation in engineering fundamentals.

Serota believes that AI coding tools can lead to increased productivity, but this will not result in a decrease in the number of software engineers. Instead, it will push companies to invest more in software development. Companies are less interested in who can write code and more interested in who can think like an engineer.

While job replacement remains a debated topic, AI code editors are certainly transforming the industry. At tech giants like Microsoft and Google, AI is already writing 30% of the code. However, the impact of AI on software engineering jobs is still a subject of discussion among CTOs.

Serota's dinner party guests are primarily from leading startups and growth-stage companies, which may have a different perspective compared to larger corporations. Tech companies may also be cautious about AI coding tools, with some even banning their use among junior engineers due to concerns about dependency and security.

From Serota's vantage point, software engineers should not panic. The demand for engineers is increasing, not decreasing. Companies are looking for engineers who can adapt to new technologies and think critically.

References:
[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/terminal-ceo-dyla-serota-ctos-ai-job-impact-software-engineers-2025-7
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/tsmc-market-capitalization-hits-1-trillion-ai-boom-2507/
[3] https://www.forbes.com/sites/rachelwells/2025/07/15/3-ai-jobs-that-pay-100000-and-dont-require-a-degree/