Beyond Coding AI Won't Replace Software Engineers, But This Might (CEO Perspective)
Dec 3, 2025
Woodson Martin, CEO of OutSystems, shares insights on how software engineers can thrive in an AI-driven world. He argues that mere coding is only 20% of the job—real value comes from embracing the other 80% like problem-solving and architecture. Woodson discusses the importance of agentic workflows that automate tedious tasks while keeping humans engaged. He warns against ungoverned AI-generated code and advocates for engineers to build diverse skill sets that focus on customer impact and driving business revenue.
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Agentic System Boosted Travel Bookings
- Woodson Martin describes Travel Essence using agentic workflows to free travel planners for customer engagement.
- The shift drove a 20% increase in bookings by redeploying human energy to relationships instead of grunt work.
Agents Handled 98% Of Mortgage Applications
- Woodson recounts Griffin Housing Finance automating loan origination with multiple agents and human final checks.
- The agentic system handles ~98% of applications, letting humans intervene only for edge cases like upside-down scans.
Low-Code And High-Code Often Coexist
- OutSystems customers run mixed stacks: low-code for core workflows and high-code for custom front ends.
- Successful projects combine platforms and hand-coded components to balance speed and customization.