Coinbase CEO Pushes AI To Handle Half Of Platform's Coding

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong revealed that over 40% of the exchange's codebase is currently generated by artificial intelligence, more than doubling since April.

Armstrong is aiming to increase the number to 50% by next month, signaling a bold commitment to integrating AI across the company’s development processes.

“Obviously, AI-generated code needs review and understanding, and not all areas of the business are suitable, but we should responsibly use AI as much as possible.”

His statements follow Coinbase’s recent initiative to transform its workforce into “AI-Natives,” emphasizing the digitalisation of its workers instead of replacing them with AI. Armstrong notably implemented a mandate requiring engineers to adopt AI tools such as Copilot, Claude Code, and Cursor, and shared on the “Cheeky Pint” podcast that he even dismissed staff who failed to justify not incorporating AI into their workflows.

The move contrasts with widespread fears of AI-driven displacement. The New York Post recently cited an "Oklahoma tech expert" who predicted that job losses caused by AI will cause a global population collapse from 8 billion to 100 million by the year 2300.

While some predict severe job losses, experts—including White House AI czar David Sacks and PwC researchers—argue AI is primed to boost productivity rather than eliminate roles entirely.

Coinbase Continues Hunting For Developers

Coinbase continues an aggressive hiring spree, currently seeking around 350 employees, with nearly half the openings focused on technical roles, including over 90 AI-centric backend engineering positions. Customer experience roles lead non-technical hires.

The crypto sector has seen a post-2022 slowdown in hiring partly due to AI’s pull on technical talent and capital, with industry insiders noting that excitement around AI currently draws many developers and entrepreneurs away from the blockchain space.

Coinbase’s aggressive AI integration highlights a transformative approach within the crypto industry, aiming to leverage automated code generation to dramatically enhance development speed and efficiency while maintaining its human workforce.

The firm’s October target of 50% AI-written code may well set a new standard for technology adoption across sectors seeking innovation without sacrificing talent.