Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong said this week that more than 40% of the company’s code is produced by artificial intelligence tools, a share he expects could climb to 50% next month.
Armstrong’s perspective on AI adoption
In a post on X on Wednesday, Armstrong said AI‑generated code still requires review but should be used “responsibly as much as we possibly can.” He shared a chart showing that the percentage of AI‑produced lines of code at Coinbase has more than doubled since April.
~40% of daily code written at Coinbase is AI-generated. I want to get it to >50% by October.
— Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) September 3, 2025
Obviously it needs to be reviewed and understood, and not all areas of the business can use AI-generated code. But we should be using it responsibly as much as we possibly can. pic.twitter.com/Nmnsdxgosp
The remarks follow his earlier push to brand Coinbase as an “AI‑Native” workforce, signaling that engineers are expected to adopt AI tools without plans for broad layoffs across the roughly 4,200‑person company.
Balancing fears and productivity
Armstrong’s comments arrive amid wider public debate over AI’s impact on employment. While some analysts warn of displacement risks, others argue productivity gains could outweigh job cuts. Critics of the job‑loss narrative include White House technology adviser David Sacks and PwC researchers, who say fears are exaggerated.
Armstrong has previously reinforced that stance. Speaking on John Collison’s “Cheeky Pint” podcast, he explained that he let go of engineers unwilling to justify avoiding AI tools shortly after mandating integration on Coinbase Slack channels.
Where AI fits into Coinbase engineering
Coinbase developers regularly use platforms such as GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, and Cursor. According to Armstrong, that use has enabled engineers to refactor or build entirely new codebases in days, timelines that would have taken months a year ago.
The company continues to emphasize engineering growth, with nearly 150 of its 350 current job openings seeking developer talent. That includes 93 back‑end positions, many referencing AI capabilities. The largest non‑technical hiring category is customer experience, with 56 active openings listed.
Crypto job market under pressure
Outside Coinbase, overall crypto hiring has slowed compared to 2022. Industry recruiters say fewer layoffs are happening today, but openings have declined as attention and capital shift toward AI.
“Developers and entrepreneurs follow the money and excitement, and right now AI is soaking up both.”
Raman Shalupau, founder of CryptoJobsList, and researcher Stefi Kiemeney noted.
Anastasiia G
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