Do We Still Need Software Engineers in the AI Era? (Judgment, Accountability & Real-World Incidents)Ken explains why some founders and companies are questioning the need for engineers as AI tools like Claude, Codex, Cursor, and Lovable make it possible to build quick prototypes, while big tech lays off engineers even as AI companies aggressively hire them. He argues AI mainly replaces routine implementation and grunt work, not engineering judgment: prioritization, trade-offs, architecture, tooling choices, developer experience, and the micro-decisions that compound into better products. He shares a real incident where a client’s compromised email led to Twilio abuse for an SMS scam, requiring rapid investigation, key shutdowns, payment protection, vendor coordination, security hardening, and an incident report—work that depends on experience and accountability. Prototypes are easier than ever, but owning and running software remains messy, requiring stability, testing, and responsible humans.00:00 Do We Need Engineers01:35 Hiring Paradox Explained03:08 Typing Versus Engineering06:50 Why Humans Still Matter08:11 Twilio Scam Incident14:41 Accountability Layer15:21 Prototype Versus Business18:44 Judgment Over Implementation21:08 Closing Thoughts#SoftwareEngineering #AIcoding #ClaudeCode