AI coding agents generate more code, but not more software
jonbaer · hn · 2026-10-12
An Ars Technica piece makes a counterintuitive point: AI coding agents have dramatically increased the volume of code being generated, but not the amount of genuinely valuable software. Code output and software value aren't the same — agents excel at churning out code, while the real bottlenecks (requirements judgment, design, maintenance) see little AI help. The Hacker News thread extends into review and maintenance burdens from code bloat, how teams should redefine engineering productivity, and the argument that cheaper code makes architectural decisions more important, not less.
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