Python Was Built for Humans. AI Just Changed Everything.

In October 2024, Wes McKinney, the creator of Pandas, experienced a transformative shift from human-written code to agent-generated code, reminiscent of his earlier transition from Java to Python. Initially an AI skeptic, McKinney became a believer after the launch of Claude Code, which, along with advancements in foundation models, unlocked new ways of working, allowing him to develop various projects rapidly. This led him to realize that while Python remains excellent for human developers, its benefits do not extend to agents who prioritize the speed of feedback loops. Consequently, McKinney began using Go for its quick compilation and testing capabilities. To address quality control, he developed Robo Rev, a continuous code review system using adversarial agents to identify bugs. This paradigm shift emphasizes the importance of reading and understanding code design over writing it, as developers will increasingly interact with code at a structural level. McKinney's experience is positioned within a broader industry transformation towards modular, composable systems, exemplified by the widespread adoption of Apache Arrow. As agents begin to produce significantly more code, languages like Go, Rust, and TypeScript are expected to capture more market share, reflecting the ongoing adaptation to changing optimization targets.