How Claude Code Is Reshaping Software—and Anthropic (www.wired.com)

Anthropic's AI coding tool, Claude Code, is gaining significant traction in the software engineering community, with reports of widespread internal adoption and a substantial increase in its annual recurring revenue (ARR). Launched less than a year ago, Claude Code has rapidly evolved from basic autocomplete functionalities to more advanced "agentic" coding capabilities, allowing developers to describe features in natural language and receive comprehensive coding assistance. Boris Cherny, head of Claude Code, noted that the tool has become essential for many engineers at Anthropic, who now rely on it to produce nearly all of their code, highlighting a paradigm shift in development practices. The rise of Claude Code is significant as it underscores the rapid evolution of AI-assisted coding, positioning Anthropic as a frontrunner in this burgeoning market alongside competitors like Cursor and OpenAI. With Claude Code contributing around 12% of Anthropic's $9 billion ARR and plans to enhance its capabilities, such as the newly launched Cowork for non-coding tasks, the tool aims to redefine productivity for software developers and knowledge workers alike. This evolution raises questions about the future roles of engineers, as AI agents increasingly handle repetitive tasks, thereby allowing professionals to focus on more creative and enjoyable aspects of their work.