Anthropic CFO says AI now writes 90% of its code, changing white-collar jobs from execution to oversight

The impact of artificial intelligence on the workforce is becoming increasingly evident, particularly at Anthropic, where CFO Krishna Rao revealed that AI is responsible for crafting 90% of the company's code. During a recent episode of Patrick O'Shaughnessy's "Invest Like the Best" podcast, Rao shared insights on how this shift is transforming the roles of white-collar workers from task execution to oversight and strategic management. Rao noted that as AI systems take on more of the execution workload—from software development to financial tasks—human employees are transitioning to roles that require critical judgment and strategic oversight. "We've hired a lot more people because of that," he stated, emphasizing that the AI tool Claude serves as a productivity booster. This allows teams to increase their output while enhancing the productivity of new hires as they learn to utilize the AI effectively. The changes at Anthropic illustrate a broader trend in Silicon Valley, where companies are reimagining white-collar jobs in the context of AI integration. Rather than eliminating positions, AI is automating routine tasks, allowing employees to focus on supervisory roles. Rao highlighted that over 90% of the code is generated by Claude, Anthropic's AI coding assistant, which significantly accelerates the development process. The finance department is also experiencing a transformation, with Claude automating the creation of financial statements. Rao mentioned that the monthly financial review is nearly complete before human analysts even interact with the data, reducing production time from hours to just 30 minutes. This efficiency shift allows employees to spend more time on decision-making rather than data collection. Rao believes that these productivity enhancements are a boon for the workforce, as they enable companies to hire more personnel due to a consistent demand for work. However, the conversation around AI's role in the workforce remains complex, with varying opinions on whether it will lead to job losses or increased labor demand. As employees adapt to AI assistance, Rao indicated that the nature of work is evolving, with more individuals taking on management responsibilities as they oversee AI systems. He remarked, "Everyone kind of becomes a manager," suggesting that the potential productivity gains from this change are only beginning to be realized. The workplace at Anthropic is a testament to the significant, ongoing transformation driven by AI technology.