Why Spotify says its developers haven’t written new code more than a month

Fast Company Tech

by David Salazar

February 14, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Spotify’s senior engineers have stopped writing code entirely since December 2023, thanks to AI tools like Claude Code and their internal system Honk. Instead of traditional coding, they now develop features through Slack by instructing AI to fix bugs or add new app functionalities. For example, an engineer can use Slack on their phone during commutes to request AI-generated updates, receive a new app version for testing, and deploy it to production before arriving at work. This shift has drastically sped up development, enabling Spotify to release over 50 features in 2025, many within the last few weeks. The adoption of AI tools like Claude Opus 4.5 has transformed how engineers operate, with senior leaders like Gustav Söderström crediting it for revolutionizing their workflow. Across Anthropic, nearly all code is now AI-generated, and other companies like Pinterest are following suit, with half of its new code being AI-created. This trend aligns with industry predictions: Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei forecasts that AI will handle most coding within three to six months and nearly all by 2025. While AI dominates the coding process, developers are focusing on refining their approach and adapting to these changes. Söderström emphasizes the importance of agility in this evolving landscape, as teams retool their methods to integrate AI effectively. Despite the shift, some professionals have humorously noted Spotify’s long-standing reliance on AI tools, with one programmer joking that its best developers haven’t coded since 2014. This transformation matters for designers and tech enthusiasts because it highlights a fundamental shift in how software is built. AI isn’t just an additive tool—it’s reshaping the entire development process, making it faster and more efficient

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Originally published on Fast Company Tech on 2/14/2026