Minecraft’s billionaire founder slams anyone who advocates using AI to write code as ‘incompetent or evil’

Few tools have shaped everyday work in tech as quickly as generative AI; Coding tasks that once took developers days or weeks can now be cut down to seconds. So naturally, many workers now embrace the “vibes” in programming rather than writing software line by line.

But Minecraft creator Markus Persson, the billionaire developer known as “Notch,” is sounding an alarm: Even if tech companies embrace coding with AI, it won’t make it a good thing.

“Remember that using AI to write code is still an incredibly bad idea, and anyone who advocates it is either incompetent or evil,” Persson recently wrote in the X Post.

“It’s as stupid as letting AI write the law. It’s about reasoning, not typing.”

Persson argued that his concerns were rooted not in outright resistance to innovation, but rather in a fear of autonomy, creative control, and the loss of the essence of what code means.

“If you seriously believe that the same people who manipulate people through mainstream media (for obviously nefarious purposes) aren’t using subtle ways to use AI to manipulate us, you’re a fool. This is why it’s been forced down our throats,” the 46-year-old said.

His bottom line: “Don’t rely on AI for programming.”

Persson’s warning is particularly pointed given how many young engineers are entering the headcount-reducing field at a moment when prompting and vibe coding are not only trendy — but increasingly treated as replacements for traditional programming practices.

Last April, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that more than 30% of the code at Google is now generated by AI. The following month, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella put that number between 20% and 30% for his company. Leaders in AI startups such as OpenAI and Anthropic have recently stepped forward, suggesting that the technology generates 100% of their code.

Noach’s advice for aspiring Gen Z developers: ‘Learn. yours crafts.’

Persson, who taught himself how to code while growing up in Sweden, went on to work in game development — even at a studio that’s now in the background. Candy Crush– before officially launching Minecraft In 2011. The sandbox game quickly became a hit among millennial and Gen Z gamers and has sold over 300 million copies to date.

Minecraft It was acquired by Microsoft in 2014 for $2.5 billion. In the years following the sale, Persson became a controversial figure and was removed from officialdom Minecraft The anniversary events followed a series of offensive social media posts. His net worth is estimated at $1.5 billion, according to Forbes.

Despite the popularity of games as a gateway for young people to learn programming – and more recently experimentation with AI – people remain deeply skeptical of outsourcing core skills to algorithms.

His advice to aspiring tech developers remains simple: “Learn. your. craft. You’re not safe to program if you don’t know how to do it,” he said.

“It’s like knowing how to fly, but not how to land or take off.”

The person refused fate’Request for additional comments.

While Notch warns against AI, CEOs say it needs to be mastered

He is not alone in advocating that programming should maintain basic skills. But many leaders disagree on what that foundation should look like in the AI ​​age.

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke says programming literacy shouldn’t be limited to future software engineers.

“I’m a firm believer that every kid, every child should learn to code,” Dohmke said. “We should actually teach them coding in school, just like we teach them physics and geography and literacy and math and what not.”

Andrew Ng, the former head of Google Brain and cofounder of Coursera, disagreed with Persson’s notion — actively encouraging people to make the most of AI by using it as a coding assistant.

“Don’t code by hand. Don’t do it the old way,” Ng said at Snowflake’s Build conference last year.

“Get AI to help you code,” he added. “And it will make people more productive and more enjoyable in all work tasks.”

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang echoed that the need to master AI is more pressing for everyone.

“Every job will be affected, and immediately. That’s undeniable,” Huang said at the Milken Institute’s global conference last year. “You’re not going to lose your job to AI, but you’re going to lose your job to someone who uses AI.”

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com