The latest articles on DEV Community by S M (@smazumder). https://dev.to/smazumder https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4089858%2F017ab6d5-8559-4b39-8604-ea087664dcb8.png https://dev.to/smazumder en S M Sat, 22 Aug 2026 15:28:57 +0000 https://dev.to/smazumder/to-code-is-human-why-ai-cant-automate-the-soul-of-engineering-2djm https://dev.to/smazumder/to-code-is-human-why-ai-cant-automate-the-soul-of-engineering-2djm <p>Henri Petroski's central thesis is the most important counterargument we have against the commoditization of our craft: <strong>Engineering is not a calculation. It is a deeply human act of desire, hypothesis, and revision</strong></p> <p>Prompting an LLM until the code compiles isn’t engineering, it’s just hoping your digital bridge doesn't collapse in the next windstorm.If you cannot explain the trade-offs in the generated code, you haven’t engineered a solution; you have merely successfully guessed. </p> <h4> <a href="https://medium.com/beyond-localhost/to-code-is-human-why-ai-cant-automate-the-soul-of-engineering-090d6499d05d" rel="noopener noreferrer">You can read the full article here: To Code is Human: Why AI Can’t Automate the Soul of Engineering - By Suvankar Mazumder</a>. </h4> <p>I’d love to hear from my fellow engineering leaders: How are you keeping the critical thinking alive in your teams as AI coding tools become the norm? Let’s debate in the comments.</p> <p>For more engaging technical discussions you can also follow me on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/suvankarmazumder/" rel="noopener noreferrer">LinkedIn</a>. </p> ai softwareengineering softwaredevelopment productivity