As AI systems grow more capable, the roles of human programmers may evolve significantly, offering insight into the broader transformation of skilled work in the AI era.
Research from Anthropic’s Economic Index highlights how AI, particularly agentic tools like Claude Code, is reshaping software development workflows. Based on 500,000 coding-related interactions, the analysis suggests that automation is quickly becoming the norm in web development and UI design, with startups leading adoption while enterprises lag behind.
Agentic AI Accelerates Coding Automation
The study compared user behavior on Claude.ai, a general-purpose assistant, and Claude Code, a specialized tool for software tasks. Researchers found that Claude Code conversations were overwhelmingly automation-driven, with 79% of interactions involving the AI completing tasks directly—often with minimal user input. In contrast, Claude.ai’s automation rate was closer to 49%, with more emphasis on collaborative or educational use cases.
Much of Claude Code’s usage followed a “feedback loop” model, where developers allowed the AI to run tasks but corrected errors as needed. This indicates that while humans remain involved, AI is handling increasingly complex workflows. Key tasks included UI/UX component development, website creation, and mobile app features, often referred to as “vibe coding,” where users describe a goal and the artificial intelligence handles implementation.
The data also show high use of front-end languages like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, reinforcing the idea that user-facing application work is among the most disrupted by AI tools. Back-end and data-focused languages such as Python and SQL were present but less dominant.
See also: Why SQL Will Remain the Data Scientist’s Best Friend
Startups Move Faster, Enterprises More Cautious
The report found that startups are adopting Claude Code at nearly double the rate of enterprises. Startups accounted for 33% of Claude Code interactions, compared to just 13% attributed to enterprise use. Educational users, hobbyists, and personal project developers also made up a large share, pointing to widespread grassroots experimentation with AI coding tools.
These trends suggest that software development may serve as an early indicator of how artificial intelligence will reshape other industries. With coding assistance already deeply integrated into everyday workflows, developers are shifting toward higher-level tasks like system design, oversight, and user experience. As AI systems grow more capable, the roles of human programmers may evolve significantly, offering insight into the broader transformation of skilled work in the AI era.
Read the full report here.
