When Code Becomes Abundant: Redefining Software Engineering Around Orchestration and Verification

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Kohl, Karina, Carro, Luigi
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Kohl, Karina
Carro, Luigi
author_facet Kohl, Karina
Carro, Luigi
contents Software Engineering (SE) faces simultaneous pressure from AI automation (reducing code production costs) and hardware-energy constraints (amplifying failure costs). We position that SE must redefine itself around human discernment-intent articulation, architectural control, and verification-rather than code construction. This shift introduces accountability collapse as a central risk and requires fundamental changes to research priorities, educational curricula, and industrial practices. We argue that Software Engineering, as traditionally defined around code construction and process management, is no longer sufficient. Instead, the discipline must be redefined around intent articulation, architectural control, and systematic verification. This redefinition shifts Software Engineering from a production-oriented field to one centered on human judgment under automation, with profound implications for research, practice, and education.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_04830
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle When Code Becomes Abundant: Redefining Software Engineering Around Orchestration and Verification
Kohl, Karina
Carro, Luigi
Software Engineering
Software Engineering (SE) faces simultaneous pressure from AI automation (reducing code production costs) and hardware-energy constraints (amplifying failure costs). We position that SE must redefine itself around human discernment-intent articulation, architectural control, and verification-rather than code construction. This shift introduces accountability collapse as a central risk and requires fundamental changes to research priorities, educational curricula, and industrial practices. We argue that Software Engineering, as traditionally defined around code construction and process management, is no longer sufficient. Instead, the discipline must be redefined around intent articulation, architectural control, and systematic verification. This redefinition shifts Software Engineering from a production-oriented field to one centered on human judgment under automation, with profound implications for research, practice, and education.
title When Code Becomes Abundant: Redefining Software Engineering Around Orchestration and Verification
topic Software Engineering
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.04830