GitHub CEO Dohmke urges coding skills for all: AI can’t replace human expertise

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke highlighted the indispensable role of human coding expertise despite the surge in AI-assisted development tools.

Speaking at the Station F startup campus, Dohmke cautioned that while AI coding assistants help founders launch products quickly, scaling those products and attracting investors requires skilled developers. He noted that startups relying mainly on AI-generated code "doesn't have much value" to investors and face challenges in justifying funding rounds without complex systems built by humans.

Dohmke described a significant shift in AI adoption over the past two years, moving from skepticism to widespread "FOMO" (fear of missing out) in the market. He also pointed out the rise of "vibe coding," where non-technical founders use natural language prompts to generate code, enabling small teams to build products with minimal funding.

Despite the excitement around AI-driven engineering, Dohmke emphasized that coding skills remain essential for long-term success. GitHub, owned by Microsoft and serving over 150 million users globally, continues to advocate for the value of human expertise in software development.

"Bootstrapped startups built predominantly with AI coding tools don't have much value to investors," Dohmke said, underscoring the limits of AI in replacing human developers.

This perspective reflects a broader industry understanding that while AI can accelerate initial development, complex problem-solving and system scaling still depend on human ingenuity and technical knowledge.

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke emphasized that while AI coding tools aid startups, human expertise remains crucial for scaling and securing investment. Speaking at Station F, he warned that AI-generated code alone lacks value without skilled developers, underscoring the ongoing importance of coding skills despite AI's rise.