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Reid Hoffman makes a specific point that cuts through the noise about AI "replacing developers": the job does not disappear, but the center of gravity shifts. The software engineer moves away from being primarily a person who types code, and toward being a person who manages multiple coding agents. He compares it to the difference between playing an instrument and conducting an orchestra—the output still becomes music, but the work becomes coordination, direction, and quality control rather than manual performance. This post breaks down his framing, the conductor metaphor, what it means for engineering careers, and how to build the reflex before the shift accelerates.