The Last Software Engineer: What AI Can’t Replace | Kent C. Dodds

AI coding is changing software engineering—but when agents can implement the code, what remains uniquely valuable? Kent C. Dodds joins Hendrik Krack on The Merge to discuss open source, coding agents, product engineering, React, Remix, and why the “last software engineer” will be the person who understands what to build. Kent has spent his career teaching web development and working in open source. In this conversation, he explains how AI is making implementation cheaper, why developers need stronger product judgment, and how his agent-to-PR workflow uses CI and CodeRabbit for independent review while he evaluates system design, migrations, and downstream effects. In this episode: • Kent’s path through PayPal, open source, React, Remix, and Epic Web • Why coding agents change the developer’s role • The “last software engineer” thought experiment • Product engineering versus ticket taking • Choosing the right problem before writing code • What junior developers should learn in the AI era • Reviewing systems, not only diffs • Kent’s AI coding workflow with pull requests, CI, and CodeRabbit • Durable skills: judgment, communication, ownership, and feedback loops Learn more about Kent C. Dodds: https://kentcdodds.com/ Epic Product Engineer: https://www.epicproduct.engineer/ Epic AI: https://www.epicai.pro/ Epic Web: https://www.epicweb.dev/ Try CodeRabbit: https://www.coderabbit.ai/ What do you think the last valuable software engineer will still do? Share your answer in the comments, and subscribe for more conversations with the builders shaping open source and AI-powered software development. #AICoding #SoftwareEngineering #OpenSource