Can AI operate your computer better than you? Here’s what a senior engineer at Anthropic said about AI agents
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‘Very disruptive’: Top Anthropic engineer says AI agents will change every computer-based job
Anthropic engineer Boris Cherny has warned that advanced AI agents, such as Claude Code, could disrupt nearly all computer-based jobs. Unlike chatbots, these agents can run commands, write code and use workplace. While full job replacement is unlikely, major task-level disruption is expected.
A senior engineer at Anthropic has warned that a new generation of AI agents could reshape nearly every computer-based job.
Boris Cherny, creator of Claude Code, said AI systems that can operate computers like humans are advancing quickly and may soon change how millions of people work.
Speaking on Lenny's Podcast, Cherny said the impact will go beyond software development.
“It’s going to expand to pretty much any kind of work that you can do on a computer,” he said, adding that the shift will be “very disruptive” and “painful for a lot of people”.
What are AI agents and how are they different?
Unlike traditional chatbots that only generate text or images, AI agents can take actions across digital tools.
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Claude Code, which is built on Anthropic’s Claude models, can:
Run commands on a computer
Analyse documents
Write and test code
Use workplace apps
Build websites
Anthropic released its latest update, Opus 4.6, in early February. And these models are designed to handle multi-step tasks and support engineers in complex workflows.
Cherny said AI agents are beginning to use computers in ways similar to humans, though they have not yet reached the level of a skilled professional.
Which jobs could be affected?
He said the change will not be limited to software engineers. He mentioned product managers, designers and other knowledge workers whose jobs depend heavily on computers.
In another interview on Y Combinator’s Lightcone podcast, he suggested that the traditional job title “software engineer” may begin to fade as AI tools handle more coding tasks.
He also claimed that productivity per engineer at Anthropic has increased since Claude Code was introduced.
However, he acknowledged that the broader economic impact remains uncertain.
“As a society, this is a conversation we have to figure out together,” he said.
Will AI replace jobs or reshape them?
The warning comes at a time when companies across the tech sector are investing heavily in AI automation. Many firms are exploring how AI tools can reduce repetitive work and speed up development cycles.
Experts say AI is likely to automate certain tasks rather than eliminate entire professions overnight. Tasks such as writing basic code, analysing structured data, drafting documents or handling routine communication may increasingly be handled by AI systems.
However, human oversight, judgement, creativity and responsibility remain critical in many industries.
Cherny’s advice to workers was simple: experiment with AI tools and understand how they function.
“Don’t be scared of them,” he said.
A wider debate on the future of work
The rise of agent-based AI systems has intensified debate around the future of white-collar jobs. Some analysts believe AI will increase productivity and create new roles. Others warn of short-term job displacement.
Anthropic, which competes with firms such as OpenAI and Google in advanced AI systems, has positioned Claude Code as a tool to support developers and enterprises.
Whether AI agents will replace jobs or transform them remains unclear. But as these systems gain the ability to operate computers directly, the structure of computer-based work could change faster than expected.
