Author compares AI coding agents to painting

The author argues that the advent of AI coding agents makes programming feel closer to painting, revisiting Paul Graham's 2003 essay Hackers and Painters. While critics argue that AI harms software craftsmanship, the author contends that cheap sketches and iterative feedback loops align with artistic workflows. Furthermore, the rising adoption of TypeScript reflects a shift toward typed languages that make agent-assisted coding more reliable. Open article →