Latest news with #Chennapragada
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Engineers must now think like CEOs, OpenAI's Srinivas Narayanan at IIT-M alumni event
. BENGALURU: In the age of artificial intelligence, software engineers must evolve into decision-makers with CEO-like vision, said OpenAI's VP of Engineering Srinivas Narayanan, speaking at the IIT Madras Alumni Association's Sangam 2025 conference on Saturday. 'The job is shifting from just writing code to asking the right questions and defining the 'what' and 'why' of a problem. AI can already handle much of the 'how,'' Narayanan said, urging developers to focus on purpose and ambition over executional detail. Joining him on stage, Microsoft's Chief Product Officer Aparna Chennapragada warned that simply retrofitting AI onto legacy tools won't be enough. 'AI isn't a feature you can just add on. We need to start building with an AI-first mindset,' she said, pointing to how natural language interfaces are replacing traditional UX layers. The panel, moderated by IITMAA President and Unimity CEO Shyamala Rajaram, explored AI's impact on jobs, product design, safety, and education. Chennapragada said the future belongs to those who combine deep expertise with generalist flexibility. 'Prompt sets are the new PRDs,' she quipped, referring to how product teams now work closely with models to prototype faster and smarter. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em Itanhaém (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo Narayanan shared that OpenAI's models are already being used in medical diagnostics, citing a case where a reasoning model identified rare genetic disorders at a Berkeley-linked research lab. 'The potential of AI as a collaborator, even in research, is enormous,' he said. On risks, Narayanan acknowledged challenges such as misinformation, unsafe outputs, and misuse. He noted that OpenAI recently rolled back a model for exhibiting 'psychopathic' traits during testing, highlighting the company's iterative deployment philosophy. Both speakers stressed accessibility and scale. While Chennapragada called for broader 'CS + AI' fluency, Narayanan said model costs have dropped 100-fold over two years. 'We want to democratise intelligence,' he said. Chennapragada closed with a thought: 'In a world where intelligence is no longer the gatekeeper, the real differentiators will be ambition and agency.' Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
NDTV
30-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Microsoft Chief Product Officer's Message For Coders After Laying Off 6,000 Employees
Aparna Chennapragada, the chief product officer (CPO) of experiences and devices at Microsoft, has said she "fundamentally disagrees" with the notion that coding careers are obsolete and computer science irrelevant. Ms Chennapragada's statement came on the heels of the tech giant laying off nearly 6,000 people, roughly 3% of its global workforce. Learning to code has become more valuable than ever, even though the way we code is changing with time, Ms Chennapragada said during Lenny's Podcast. "A lot of folks think about, 'Oh, don't bother studying computer science or the coding is dead,' and I just fundamentally disagree," she said. "If anything, I think we've always had higher and higher layers of abstraction in programming," she added. Microsoft, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, emerged as one of the first companies to double down on artificial intelligence (AI) when the tech sector witnessed the historic launch of ChatGPT in 2022. The job cuts at Microsoft come as the company continues to invest aggressively in AI. In April this year, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said AI now wrote up to 30% of their codes in certain projects. This raises questions about the demand for human programmers in future. But Ms Chennapragada argues that AI represents just another layer of abstraction in the evolution of programming, highlighting they don't program in assembly anymore. "Most of us don't even program in C, and then you are kind of higher and higher layers of abstraction," she said and suggested that engineers might become "software operators" instead. There will be an "order of magnitude more software operators", she added. "Instead of 'Cs,' maybe we'll have 'SOs,' but that does not mean you don't understand computer science," she said. For project managers, Ms Chennapragada is expecting modified responsibilities, focused on "taste-making and editing". The lay-offs came as part of Microsoft's effort to cut costs while channelling billions of dollars into AI, something even Google is doing. "We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace," a Microsoft spokesperson said.
Economic Times
26-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Is coding dead or just evolving: As AI takes over keyboards, what's left for human engineers, is the future of coding paradoxical?
iStock While AI now generates 30% of Microsoft's code, Chief Product Officer Aparna Chennapragada argues coding is still crucial—just redefined. Yet with thousands of software engineers laid off, including those who trained AI tools, the tech world is left wondering: is coding thriving in abstraction or quietly being phased out? As Artificial Intelligence strides into every corner of the tech world — now capable of writing 30% of Microsoft's code, a question echoes across developer forums and college campuses: Is coding still worth learning? At first glance, the signs seem ominous. Microsoft, one of the world's biggest tech employers, recently laid off 6,000 employees. A significant portion of them were software engineers. Yet, in an almost paradoxical twist, Microsoft's chief product officer for experiences and devices, Aparna Chennapragada, is urging young professionals not to abandon computer science. On a recent episode of Lenny's Podcast , she made a bold claim: 'Coding is not dead. It's evolving.' The contradictions are hard to ignore. On one hand, Microsoft executives are embracing AI as a transformative force. On the other, headlines shout about mass layoffs. In Washington state alone, over 40% of those laid off were software engineers — the very people helping build and integrate AI into Microsoft's systems. It raises a provocative question: Are coders being asked to build the tools that could render them obsolete? Take Jeff Hulse, a Microsoft vice president who pushed his 400-person team to adopt OpenAI tools to automate as much as 50% of their code. Within weeks, many from that same team were laid off. For those affected, this wasn't just a restructuring — it was a bitter irony. Chennapragada, however, doesn't see this shift as a funeral for coding, but rather a metamorphosis. In her words, 'We've always had higher and higher layers of abstraction in programming.' Coding is no longer about speaking to machines in assembly or even C. It's about instructing at a higher level, often through natural language, with AI bridging the gap. She predicts a shift in roles — not a disappearance. 'Tomorrow's engineers might function more like software operators than traditional developers,' she noted. Think of it as moving from wielding the wrench to managing the entire factory floor with the press of a button. Still, she insists that the foundational knowledge of computer science remains essential. 'It's a mental model — a way of thinking,' she said. 'So I strongly disagree with the idea that 'coding is dead.'' The AI revolution isn't only changing engineering. Project and product managers — once the middlemen of Big Tech's structured layers — are under pressure from what many insiders are calling the 'great flattening.' Chennapragada acknowledges that these roles, too, must adapt. In an AI-driven world teeming with new ideas and prototypes, managers must become more like curators than coordinators. Their job is no longer about moving projects from point A to point B but identifying which ideas rise above the noise. In her words, it's about developing a knack for 'taste-making and editing' — skills that blend creativity, instinct, and clarity amid a flood of innovation. To truly understand the seismic shift underway, consider the experience of a young Google techie who recently posted on X (formerly Twitter). Reflecting on her internships since 2022, she wrote: 'AI can code, build, brainstorm, design, and iterate. Then why do we need software engineers?' Her answer? Abstraction. Three years ago, she had to manually learn every programming language and architecture before solving a single problem. Today, AI takes care of the heavy lifting. Debugging that once took an hour is now done in five minutes with an AI agent. Complex documentation has transformed into interactive podcasts and videos, turning dry technical learning into something bingeable. 'Software engineering is more fun now,' she wrote. 'The boring stuff is abstracted out. All you have is your imagination.' Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has openly stated that in some teams, nearly one-third of all code is generated by AI. It's an impressive feat — or a forewarning, depending on where you stand. The central dilemma remains: If AI is making code faster and cheaper, where does that leave the humans? Are we being elevated to more creative, managerial roles — or slowly coded out of the equation? Aparna Chennapragada believes the former. 'AI is a democratizing force,' she says. But for the thousands now jobless, it's hard not to wonder: Is AI opening doors — or closing them? Either way, one thing is clear. Coding isn't dead. It's just no longer what it used to be.
India Today
24-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Microsoft exec says coding is not dead after 6,000 layoffs and AI writing 30 per cent of code for the company
While some are ready to declare the death of coding in the age of artificial intelligence, Microsoft's chief product officer of experiences and devices, Aparna Chennapragada, firmly disagrees. In a recent appearance on Lenny's Podcast, Chennapragada pushed back against the notion that computer science is becoming irrelevant, insisting that learning to code is more valuable than ever, even if the way we code is changing. This comes at a time when Microsoft has laid off 6,000 employees and urged its engineers to ramp up the use of AI tools. advertisementMicrosoft chief thinks coding is not dead"A lot of folks think about, 'Oh, don't bother studying computer science or coding is dead,' and I just fundamentally disagree," said Chennapragada. "If anything, I think we've always had higher and higher layers of abstraction in programming."She pointed out that AI is not replacing software engineers, but is instead becoming a part of the natural evolution of software development, the latest in a long history of making code more accessible and high-level. "We don't program in assembly anymore. Most of us don't even program in C," she explained. "And then you're kind of higher and higher layers of abstraction. So to me, there will be ways that you will tell the computer what to do, right? It'll just be at a much higher level of abstraction, which is great. It democratises."advertisement Chennapragada admitted that roles might shift over time, suggesting that tomorrow's engineers may function more like 'software operators' than traditional developers, but she dismissed the idea that the core skills of computer science will vanish."There'll be an order of magnitude more software operators," she said. "Instead of 'SWEs,' maybe we'll have 'SOs,' but that doesn't mean you don't understand computer science. It's a way of thinking, and it's a mental model. So I strongly disagree with the whole, 'Coding is dead.'"The discussion didn't stop at the engineers. Chennapragada also weighed in on the changing role of project managers, who are increasingly feeling the pressure of what's been dubbed Big Tech's 'great flattening' — the broad trimming of middle management layers in tech to her, project managers aren't going anywhere either, but they'll need to adapt. The surge of ideas and prototypes enabled by AI means project managers must sharpen their curatorial instincts."In some sense, if you look at it, there's going to be a massive increase in the supply of ideas and prototypes, which is great," she said. "It raises the floor, but it raises the ceiling as well. In some sense, how do you break out in these times? You have to make sure that this is something that rises above the noise."advertisementShe emphasised the growing importance of what she called 'taste-making and editing' — the ability to filter through an overwhelming volume of creative output to find what's truly valuable. This shift has already started to affect how teams operate, she noted. With AI lowering the barrier to entry for rapid experimentation, Chennapragada has seen teams rely less on managerial laid off 6,000 employees While the Microsoft chief was seen boasting of "AI not replacing software engineers", two days ago, Microsoft laid off 6,000 employees. It is no secret that Microsoft has been among the top big tech companies to lay off thousands of its recent wave of global layoffs has affected around 6,000 employees, but a closer look reveals a stark and troubling pattern. According to internal data reviewed by Bloomberg, over 40 per cent of those laid off in Washington state were software engineers, raising questions about the future of human coders at a company rapidly embracing case in point is Jeff Hulse, a Microsoft vice president overseeing a 400-person engineering team. As The Information reported, Hulse had encouraged his engineers to ramp up their use of OpenAI-powered tools, aiming to generate up to 50 per cent of their code through AI, well above the company's typical 20–30 per cent benchmark. Just weeks later, many of those same engineers were shown the door. The timing is unsettling: were these developers, in effect, building the tools that would ultimately displace them?advertisementCEO Satya Nadella has been vocal about AI's role in transforming productivity at Microsoft, proudly stating that in some projects, nearly a third of the code is now AI-generated. But for the engineers caught in the layoff round, those advances seem more like a corporate trade-off than a technological to Chennapragada's public reassurance that project management roles would remain safe in the age of AI, Microsoft's axe didn't spare them either. Employees in product management and technical programme management, along with some involved in AI initiatives, were hit as well.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsoft CPO says she 'fundamentally' disagrees with the idea that people shouldn't study computer science
Microsoft's chief product officer of experiences and devices says people should keep learning to code. Computer science isn't dead, Aparna Chennapragada said on a recent podcast, and the role of the engineer will endure. For project managers, she said that editing and "taste-making" will be more important than ever. Microsoft CPO Aparna Chennapragada doesn't buy the idea that coding is on its way out. "I have one other additional bonus thing, which is a lot of folks think about, 'Oh, don't bother studying computer science or the coding is dead,' and I just fundamentally disagree," Chennapragada, the tech giant's chief product officer of experiences and devices, said on Lenny's Podcast. "If anything, I think we've always had higher and higher layers of abstraction in programming," she added. Despite fears that AI could ultimately render software engineers irrelevant — or at least materially cut down on job openings in the field — Chennapragada believes that AI only adds a further layer of abstraction in the existing process of programming. "We don't program in assembly anymore," she said. "Most of us don't even program in C, and then you're kind of higher and higher layers of abstraction. So to me, they will be ways that you will tell the computer what to do, right? It'll just be at a much higher level of abstraction, which is great. It democratizes." Chennapragada said it's possible that, in the future, we'll think of software engineers more as software operators, but the role itself is unlikely to disappear. "There'll be an order of magnitude more software operators," she said. "Instead of 'Cs,' maybe we'll have 'SOs,' but that doesn't mean you don't understand computer science and it's a way of thinking and it's a mental model. So I strongly disagree with the whole, 'Coding is dead.'" As for the fate of project managers, who are subject, like many other middle managers, to big tech's "great flattening," Chennapragada expects them to endure, albeit with modified responsibilities. Taste, she said, will be more important than ever. "In some sense, if you look at it, there's going to be a supply of ideas, a massive increase in supply of ideas in prototypes, which is great," Chennapragada said. "It raises the floor, but it raises the ceiling as well. In some sense, how do you break out in these times that you have to make sure that this is something that rises above the noise?" Chennapragada did not respond to a request for comment by Business Insider prior to publication. AI makes it easier than ever to actualize an idea, she said, which means that sifting through the glut of ideas will be especially important — so project managers will need to further develop what Chennapragada calls "the taste-making and the editing" instincts. "In a world where the supply of ideas, supply of prototypes becomes even more like an order of magnitude higher, you'd have to think about, 'What is the editing function here?'" she said. Because it's so much easier to just get started, Chennapragada says she's observed less of an instinct to automatically turn to a project manager for approval. Though final approval will become more important than ever, she believes PMs have to earn the right to judge. "There's an interesting side effect I am observing in startups that I'm advising, companies, and even within the companies, that there used to be more gatekeeping, I would say, in terms of like — 'Oh, we should ask the product leader what they think,'" Chennapragada said. "And again, there is a role for that editing function, but you have to earn it now." Read the original article on Business Insider
