Claude Code creator says 22-year-old CS grads should found startups: 'It's the golden age'

Boris Cherny, a key figure at Anthropic, has a compelling message for recent computer science graduates contemplating their future. In a recent conversation with tech journalist Casey Newton on the "Platformer" podcast, Cherny emphasized the importance of entrepreneurial spirit. He stated, "If you want to work at a company, there are ample entry-level positions available. However, if you have any inclination towards entrepreneurship, now is the perfect time to launch your own startup." Cherny highlighted the transformative power of AI tools like Claude Code, which he developed, enabling aspiring entrepreneurs to build and scale their ventures more effectively than ever before. Cherny described the current era as unprecedented, calling it a "golden age" for startup creation. He remarked, "You and your agents can create a substantial company." During his recent interactions with founders at Y Combinator, the renowned Silicon Valley incubator, he made an interesting observation. Instead of merely inquiring about the usage of Claude Code, he asked how many founders relied on it to write all their code. Half of the attendees raised their hands, signifying a significant shift in the coding landscape. In stark contrast, when he asked how many did not use the AI model at all, only one hand was raised among a crowd of hundreds. Cherny noted, "Most participants were coding with AI assistance for 50% to 100% of their projects." This trend reflects a growing reliance on AI in the software development process. Cherny's insights resonate with a broader sentiment in the tech industry, where the emergence of AI coding agents is seen as a catalyst for innovation among the next generation of entrepreneurs. Sam Altman, former Y Combinator CEO, recently echoed this sentiment, stating that while technical skills remain crucial, there is also a growing need for founders who deeply understand user needs, even if they lack coding expertise. Looking ahead, Cherny predicts a major evolution in the software engineering field. He suggested that while the title of "engineer" may change, the fundamental role of individuals writing code or utilizing AI agents to assist in coding will expand significantly. "I believe there will be 100 times more people engaged in coding tasks than there are currently," he concluded, indicating a bright future for those ready to embrace the technological shift.