Andrew Ng lays out a hierarchy of engineering talent — including who's in trouble and who he refuses to hire

In a recent episode of the "20VC" podcast, Andrew Ng, a prominent Stanford professor and co-founder of Google Brain, shared his insights on the evolving landscape of engineering talent in the age of AI. Ng revealed a clear hierarchy of engineers, emphasizing the critical role of experience in adapting to technological advancements. At the pinnacle of this hierarchy are seasoned engineers who embraced AI early in their careers. Ng remarked, "The most productive engineers I know aren't fresh college grads; they are individuals with 10 to 20 years of experience who have mastered AI technologies." These seasoned professionals, he noted, are outpacing their peers and driving innovation at an unprecedented rate. Just below them are recent graduates who have leveraged AI tools through social networks. Ng expressed enthusiasm about these young talents, stating, "We can't find enough of them, and many companies are eager to hire graduates who are well-versed in AI." This group represents a promising influx of knowledge into the workforce. However, Ng cautioned against experienced developers who remain stuck in outdated coding practices, likening their approach to pre-AI methodologies. "I just don't hire people like that anymore. Those people may get into trouble at some point," he said, indicating that their reluctance to adapt could lead to significant challenges. At the bottom of the hierarchy are new computer science graduates lacking familiarity with AI concepts. Ng stressed the importance of academic institutions keeping pace with industry demands, highlighting the need for current curricula to include fundamental AI principles. He poignantly stated, "Imagine graduating a CS undergrad who has never heard of cloud computing. That's a cohort entering the job market that's really struggling." Ng's comments resonate amid ongoing discussions in Silicon Valley regarding workforce adaptability as AI reshapes job dynamics. OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, echoed Ng’s sentiments, expressing more concern for older workers hesitant to retrain than for recent graduates, who he believes are well-positioned to thrive in this new landscape. Altman noted, "If I were 22 right now, I would feel like the luckiest kid in all of history." As companies increasingly mandate the integration of AI tools, industry leaders like Coinbase's CEO Brian Armstrong have taken decisive action, terminating employees who fail to adapt. Similarly, Google has encouraged its engineers to incorporate AI-assisted coding to enhance their competitiveness in the rapidly changing tech environment.