Cognition’s Scott Wu says AI coding agents shouldn’t replace humans

Scott Wu, CEO of Cognition, is making waves in the tech world this week as his AI coding startup secures a staggering $1 billion in funding, achieving a valuation of $26 billion. Cognition is known for developing Devin, an innovative AI coding assistant that, according to Wu, "naturally owns tasks end to end." In a recent blog post, the company shared its vision of a future where software development is as seamless as self-driving cars. Despite the rapid advancements in AI, Wu reassured TechCrunch that the intention behind Devin is not to replace human programmers. He emphasized, “We’ve never thought about it as replacing humans. It has never been our view.” In a year marked by numerous tech layoffs attributed to AI, Wu is particularly committed to ensuring that programmers retain their jobs. With a personal history as a programmer since childhood, Wu's passion for coding runs deep. Recognized as a prodigy in competitive programming, Wu's early achievements included winning a national math competition at a young age. This background fuels his belief that AI should enhance human capabilities rather than eliminate them. “When we started building Devin, we thought of it as: this is your buddy who helps you build more,” he remarked, showcasing a stuffed toy that symbolizes this collaborative spirit. Wu believes that programming is a fulfilling endeavor for many software engineers, who enjoy the creative process of transforming ideas into tangible products. He likens the role of AI coding agents to previous advancements in software development that simplified complex tasks. Cognition reports that Devin is responsible for 89% of the code generated by their engineers, with the remainder produced by a local AI tool acquired through their acquisition of Windsurf. Devin primarily handles maintenance tasks that programmers often find tedious, such as updating legacy systems and migrating applications. Wu believes that these advancements will liberate developers to focus more on creative aspects of coding. While Devin can operate independently, Wu characterizes its skill level as between that of a junior and mid-level engineer, depending on the specific job. Looking ahead, he envisions a future where AI agents will extend their capabilities beyond coding into diverse industries like customer service and healthcare, aiming to support rather than supplant human workers. “One thing that’s been clear to us since the beginning is, it should always be up to the human what to do,” he concluded, reinforcing the idea that AI’s role is to augment human potential across all professions.