Programming Isn't Special

The article argues that programming should be understood as a creative craft, not a purely mechanical function, and therefore the rush to use AI in software development carries the same quality, originality, and labor concerns seen across other creative industries. For CIOs and technology leaders, the strategic implication is that AI adoption in IT should not be treated as a simple productivity play; it affects engineering culture, code quality, maintainability, and the long-term differentiation that comes from human-designed systems. IT organizations should expect growing tension between short-term efficiency gains and the erosion of craftsmanship, which could impact team morale, standards, and the organization’s ability to build distinctive technology assets.