AI in 2025: Why Everyone Will Be Programming Soon
I built this entire website in one morning using Claude and Claude Code. Not just a prototype - the whole production site you're reading right now, complete with bilingual blog system, interactive chat, and deployment. A year ago, that would have taken me weeks. Today, it's a Tuesday morning project.
This isn't hype. This is what's actually happening with AI in 2025.
The Big Three Are All Going Agent Mode
I use Google Gemini, Claude 4, and ChatGPT daily for different things, and they've all made massive leaps in the past few months. We're not just getting better chatbots - we're getting actual agents that can work for hours without supervision.
**Google Gemini 2.5: The Multi-Step Workhorse**
Google launched what they call "Agent Mode" - and it actually works. You can give Gemini a complex task like "research competitors in my market and create a comprehensive analysis," walk away for 30 minutes, and come back to a complete report.
What's actually useful: - It browses the web autonomously and connects different pieces of information - Project Mariner can interact with websites and complete multi-step tasks - It learns from what you show it once and can repeat similar tasks - The "teach and repeat" feature means you can train it on your specific workflows
Real example: I had it research the entire landscape of AI coding tools, analyze pricing models, and create a competitive matrix. It took 45 minutes and produced work that would have taken me half a day.
**Claude 4: The Coding Beast**
Claude 4 (specifically Opus 4) is genuinely the best coding AI I've ever used. Anthropic claims it's "the world's best at coding" and I don't think they're wrong.
What makes it different: - It can work on code for 7+ hours continuously without losing context - It understands entire codebases, not just individual files - Claude Code lives in your terminal and can edit files, run commands, and handle git workflows - It can reason through complex architectural decisions step by step
Personal proof: This website's entire architecture - the bilingual system, the chat interface, the blog structure - was designed and implemented by Claude in one morning session. I planned it the night before, then just described what I wanted and watched it build.
**ChatGPT with Codex: The Autonomous Engineer**
OpenAI's new Codex agent can work independently for 30+ minutes on complex tasks. It runs in a sandboxed environment and can connect to your GitHub repos.
What it's good at: - Taking a GitHub issue and implementing a complete solution - Running tests and fixing bugs autonomously - Explaining complex code and suggesting improvements - Working as a "virtual teammate" on longer projects
The limitation: It's still in research preview and responses can take 1-30 minutes depending on complexity.
My Real Experience: Building This Site in One Morning
Here's exactly what happened:
Night before (15 minutes): I sketched out what I wanted - a bilingual portfolio with blog, chat interface, and clean design.
Tuesday morning (4 hours): 1. Started Claude Code in terminal 2. Described the architecture I wanted 3. Claude generated the entire Next.js structure 4. It built the bilingual system, blog functionality, and chat interface 5. It connected everything to my design system 6. It set up deployment on Vercel
The result: A fully functional website with features that would have taken me weeks to implement manually.
What I actually did: Mostly provided feedback and made small adjustments. Claude handled all the technical implementation.
Why Claude's Max Plan Changed My Mind About Paying for AI
I was skeptical about paying for AI subscriptions. Then I tried Claude's Max plan for coding work.
The economics are insane: - Max plan costs $20/month - One morning of Claude work replaced what would have been $2000+ of development time - I can build and deploy ideas the same day I have them - No need to hire developers for most projects
What you actually get: - Access to Claude 4 Opus (the best coding model) - Unlimited conversations (no daily limits) - Priority access during peak times - Early access to new features
Real ROI calculation: If Claude saves me even 2 hours of development work per month, it pays for itself. In reality, it saves me 10-20 hours monthly.
Programming Is Becoming Universal
I'm seeing people with zero coding experience build functional apps in their first session with Claude. This isn't a future prediction - it's happening right now.
**What's Changing**
Before 2025: Programming required learning syntax, frameworks, deployment processes, debugging skills, and years of practice.
Now: Programming requires being able to describe what you want and having the patience to iterate with AI.
Example: I watched a friend who's never written code build and deploy a simple inventory management app using Claude. Total time: 3 hours. Total cost: $20 for Claude + $0 for Cloudflare hosting.
**The New Programming Skills**
1. Problem definition: Being clear about what you want to build 2. Iteration patience: Working with AI through multiple rounds of refinement 3. System thinking: Understanding how different parts should connect 4. Basic troubleshooting: Knowing when something isn't working as expected
What you don't need anymore: - Memorizing syntax - Understanding complex deployment processes - Years of debugging experience - Deep framework knowledge
The Economic Impact
This changes the economics of software development completely.
For individuals: - Ideas can become products in hours instead of months - No need to hire developers for simple projects - Lower barriers to starting software businesses
For businesses: - Internal tools can be built by domain experts instead of engineering teams - Faster iteration on product ideas - Reduced development costs for simple applications
For developers: - Focus shifts to architecture and complex problem-solving - AI handles routine implementation - Higher-level thinking becomes more valuable
What's Actually Working Right Now
**Claude Code in Terminal**
- Maps and understands entire codebases instantly - Edits files and runs commands directly - Handles Git workflows autonomously - Works with natural language commands
**AI-Powered Deployment**
- Cloudflare makes deployment trivial - Vercel handles scaling automatically - No need to understand infrastructure
**Rapid Prototyping**
- Go from idea to working prototype in hours - Test concepts before investing serious time - Iterate quickly based on user feedback
The Reality Check
**What AI Is Actually Good At**
- Building standard web applications - Creating CRUD interfaces and APIs - Setting up authentication and databases - Implementing common features and workflows - Converting designs into working code
**What Still Requires Humans**
- Complex business logic and edge cases - Performance optimization at scale - Security considerations for sensitive applications - Integration with legacy systems - Creative problem-solving for novel challenges
**The Learning Curve**
- First project: Exciting but lots of back-and-forth with AI - Fifth project: You start understanding patterns and can guide AI better - Tenth project: You're effectively pair programming with AI
Practical Advice for Getting Started
**Start Simple**
- Build a personal project first (portfolio, blog, simple tool) - Use Claude 4 or ChatGPT with Codex - Deploy on Cloudflare or Vercel (both have generous free tiers) - Expect the first project to take longer as you learn the workflow
**Learn to Communicate with AI**
- Be specific about what you want - Provide examples when possible - Break complex projects into smaller steps - Ask AI to explain decisions when you don't understand
**Choose Your Platform**
- Claude 4: Best for complex coding projects and architecture - ChatGPT Codex: Good for autonomous work on defined tasks - Gemini: Best for research and multi-step workflows
The Future Is Already Here
We're at the point where programming is becoming a universal skill, like using a spreadsheet or writing an email. The tools are good enough, accessible enough, and economical enough that most people can build software solutions for their own problems.
This isn't coming in 5 years. It's happening right now.
I built this website in one morning. My friend built her first app with zero coding experience. People are automating their work tasks with AI-generated scripts.
The question isn't whether AI will democratize programming - it's whether you're ready to take advantage of it.
Start with a simple project. Pick one of the AI tools. Give it a try.
You might be surprised by what you can build in a single morning.