Django Co-founder: AI Can Now Write Most Code, Future May Enter Development Phase Without Human Involvement

Simon Willison, co-founder of the Django Web framework, says current AI can complete most of the code writing work he used to do himself. He raises a profound question: what will happen when AI no longer needs humans at all?

Willison introduces the concept of 'dark factory'—originating from industrial automation, meaning factories don't need lighting after full automation (no humans present). Applied to software development, this means AI may complete the entire development process without human involvement. Currently, developers use AI by stating requirements, supervising execution, and reviewing code, but these steps may all be done by AI in the future.

AI's impact on employment is increasingly a concern: companies like Klarna and IBM have attributed some layoffs to AI. Willison says changes have already started, and 95% of his code now comes from AI. However, lower development thresholds don't mean success is easy; originality and creativity remain key.