Aman Sanger, Co-Founder of Cursor, believes that artificial intelligence (AI) is set to reshape not just coding, but almost every white-collar profession. While coding is the first area to feel the impact, he says the same level of transformation will soon spread across other forms of office and knowledge work.
According to Sanger, coding changed first because it had the perfect conditions for AI to make rapid progress. There is abundant open-source code available online, which gives AI models huge amounts of training data. Coding tasks can also be tested easily with clear right and wrong answers, making it ideal for reinforcement learning. This combination helped AI tools like Cursor advance much faster in software development compared to other fields.
But Sanger believes this is only the beginning. He says that any job done “behind a screen” will eventually see similar gains in productivity. Whether it is writing, analysis, design, or operations, AI will be able to automate repetitive steps, assist with complex tasks, and help workers complete high-quality work much faster. He sees AI as a direct boost to white-collar productivity, not a short-term trend.
Sanger believes the world of coding and computer science is on the verge of a major transformation. He says today’s students should absolutely continue studying software, but the way computer science is taught needs to change. According to him, the traditional curriculum that worked five or ten years ago is no longer enough in the age of fast-advancing AI.
Universities must shift from teaching only detailed coding practices to teaching the core principles of how software works, how to think clearly, and how to learn new tools quickly. He believes the future software engineer will succeed not by memorising syntax, but by adapting to rapid technological change.
Even with this shift, Sanger expects computer science to remain one of the most sought-after courses at top institutes like IITs. He argues that as AI makes it easier and cheaper to build sophisticated software, demand for people who understand technology will only grow. Software development itself will change, but the discipline will continue to be relevant—provided it evolves with the times.
When it comes to India’s IT services industry, Sanger says companies will face a crucial decision. AI can make engineers far more productive, and firms can either use that productivity to cut teams and save costs or use it to take on more work and grow faster.
He believes the companies that choose expansion, not reduction, will be the ones that stay competitive in the long run. In his view, AI should be a tool to do more, build more and create more value—not simply a way to reduce headcount.
Cursor is an AI-powered coding platform that helps developers write, review, and improve software much faster. It works like a smart partner that can predict full edits, complete tasks on its own, and even assist non-coders in building simple applications.
Cursor uses multiple large language models — from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and others — along with its own model to choose the best tool for every task.