'Start considering alternative careers': Zoho's Sridhar Vembu warns engineers as non-coder builds app with AI, Capgemini Director disagrees

Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu’s recent remark has sparked an online debate. In his latest post on social media, Vembu advised software engineers to explore career alternatives beyond coding. His comments come at a time when job cuts in the software industry are at an all-time high, and Indian IT stocks have gone through turmoil after the launch of coding plugins by Anthropic.

"Examples are now pouring in about AI-assisted Code Engineering productivity," Vembu wrote, citing a Bhagwad Gita app built by a developer with no prior coding experience and Anthropic creating an entire C compiler using its Claude AI. "That is not an easy engineering feat at all."

He said, "At this point, it is best for those of us who depend on writing code for a living to start considering alternative livelihoods. I include myself in this."

Vembu claimed that his warning was not alarmist but a pragmatic acceptance. "I don't say this in panic, but with calm acceptance and embrace," he wrote, suggesting the shift represents a structural transformation rather than a crisis to be feared.

The Zoho boss added, “As a matter of fact, I did a detailed session with Gemini Pro on how the economy will be shaped by the AI revolution. It was like having an extremely intelligent economic philosopher debating you. I asked it to critique its own work and it did a fantastic job too. As Gemini and I developed see this, the future could unfold in two ways, depending on who owns and collects rent on this technology.”

Examples are now pouring in about AI-assisted Code Engineering productivity.

The quoted post is a Bhagwad Gita app.

Anthropic has built an entire C compiler with their Claude AI. That is not an easy engineering feat at all.

At this point, it is best for those of us who… https://t.co/KbgVX8G9nU

— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) February 6, 2026

Capgemini Director disagrees with Vembu

Capgemini Engineering Director Raghu Kishore Vempati countered Sridhar Vembu, saying, “With all due respect, I completely disagree. Isn’t it too premature to say what you are saying?, To suggest that we should consider alternative livelihoods because an AI can compile C code is stretching it too far. First of all, this isn’t Engineering at all. This is statistical reconstruction. Would be good if we don’t confuse between the two.”

“Engineers are never paid to type syntax. They are paid to manage complexity, enforce security, and architect systems that survive reality. Your thinking is good, but if we were to return to soil and philosophy, we assume that there is an AI that is meticulously running functioning global supply chains, energy grids, and information networks,” Vempati added.

With all due respect @svembu, I completely disagree!

Isn't it too premature to say what you are saying?🙂

To suggest that we should consider alternative livelihoods because an AI can compile C code is stretching it too far. First of all, this isn't Engineering at all. This is… https://t.co/HCla5P7mkm

— Raghu Kishore Vempati (@raghuvempati) February 6, 2026

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