Atlassian CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes has joined the growing chorus of tech leaders asserting that AI-assisted „vibe coding” won’t eliminate software engineering jobs, but rather will drive increased demand for technical talent. In a recent „20VC” podcast appearance, Cannon-Brookes predicted that Atlassian will employ more engineers five years from now than it does today, emphasizing that while AI tools will enhance efficiency, technology creation isn’t „output-bound.” He argued that the continuous generation of new technological ideas—both good and bad—will require skilled engineers to bring them to life, ultimately leading to more and better technology across the industry.
The Australian-American software company is backing this optimistic outlook with concrete hiring actions. Atlassian has significantly increased its recruitment of new computer science graduates, with 95 hires for February 2025 and 108 already secured for February 2026 starts. Cannon-Brookes sees these fresh graduates as valuable assets who can bring new perspectives to software development and positively disrupt existing talent dynamics. The company’s growing workforce—which reached 13,813 full-time employees in June, representing a 14% year-over-year increase—reflects this expansion-focused strategy, particularly within research, development, and engineering teams.
Cannon-Brookes’ position aligns with other prominent voices in the tech industry who argue that vibe coding complements rather than replaces engineering roles. Varun Mohan, former CEO of vibe coding startup Windsurf, noted that engineers perform multifaceted work beyond just writing code, including reviewing, testing, debugging, designing, and deploying systems. Similarly, OpenAI’s former Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew highlighted the ongoing need for professional engineers to manage and understand complex codebases, suggesting that AI-generated code without proper oversight could become a liability rather than an asset. These perspectives collectively indicate that while AI tools are transforming software development workflows, they’re creating new opportunities rather than making human engineers obsolete.
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