‍For decades, tech leaders have obsessed over finding the elusive 10x engineer.
‍

Today, with the rise of Generative AI, LLMs, and automation-first development tools, we're entering a radically new era — one where we believe 100x and even 1000x engineers will emerge.

‍

At Emergent, we've been fortunate to meet a number of founders building AI-native products aimed squarely at this future. Across the full software lifecycle — from creation to deployment — AI-native tools are pushing the boundaries of what developer productivity can look like.

‍

Here’s a glimpse of what’s now becoming possible.

‍

AI-Native Capabilities Across the Software Lifecycle

We are seeingAI-native products that will multiply developer output across every critical stage of the development and deployment cycle:

• Generate increasingly sophisticated code
• Interpret and help humans collaborate around complex codebases
• Document codebases automatically and keep documentation updated
• Integrate seamlessly with data sources and third-party systems
• Test and secure code rigorously, often finding issues faster than humans
• Deploy, monitor, and optimize running applications effortlessly
• And much more — with the frontier rapidly expanding

These systems aren't just adding a little speed; they are fundamentally changing how software is built, tested, and shipped.

‍

The Rise of 100x and 1000x Engineers

In this emerging world, the best developers won’t just be good coders. They’ll become force multipliers, operating at a scale that was previously unimaginable.

‍

As these advancements unfold, one can't help but wonder: what is the future of software? In the coming time, I believe we will see 100x and 1000x engineers. These would be people who can:

• Navigate the AI tool landscape: Constantly evaluate and leverage the best new dev tools that AI has to offer, adapting workflows dynamically.
• Detect and mitigate machine blind spots: Preempt errors that AI models may introduce — from logic mistakes to security vulnerabilities — and know when to intervene manually.
• Architect complex systems: Design, orchestrate, and manage highly modular, AI-assisted systems.
• Operate at machine speed: Drastically shorten the cycles between idea, implementation, and deployment — without sacrificing quality.

‍

In short, 1000x engineers will combine human intuition with machine superpowers, working with AI the way early computer programmers worked with compilers: a new layer of leverage.

‍

Why This Is an Inflection Point

The software industry is at a profound inflection point.

As a hands-on developer and researcher early in my career, I spent countless hours manually writing repetitive code and debugging elusive issues. These tasks — once considered unavoidable — are increasingly being delegated to machines.

AI will compress entire workflows, and this compression will lead to an order-of-magnitude improvement in productivity.

Over the next few years, the very nature of software engineering will evolve:

• Less manual coding, more high-level system design
• Less reactive debugging, more proactive system shaping
• Less bottlenecked delivery, more continuous, intelligent deployment

‍

Those who understand and embrace this shift will build software — and companies — at speeds and scales that were previously unthinkable.

‍

A Call to Builders

The future belongs to those who can amplify human creativity with machine intelligence — and reshape the craft of software development for the next generation. We at Emergent are excited to meet founders who are reimagining what is even possible when humans and AI build together.