CEO Edwin Chen of Surge: AI is Creating Workers with Productivity 100 Times Higher than Average

In the tech community, the term «10x engineer» refers to a programmer whose output is said to be ten times that of the average worker. According to Edwin Chen, the CEO of the startup Surge, with the advancements in artificial intelligence, developer productivity might increase a hundredfold compared to the usual performance levels.

Chen pointed out that the idea of the 10x engineer originated back in 1968 and has gained significant popularity in Silicon Valley over the years. He noted that today, thanks to AI assistants that handle repetitive tasks, the most skilled developers are demonstrating a hundredfold efficiency.

«Modern AI tools help eliminate a vast amount of mundane work. However, their impact is especially pronounced among those who were already 10x engineers without AI, individuals with their own ideas and a clear product vision,» Chen explained.

These professionals, whom Chen refers to as «100x engineers,» not only expedite the development process but also have the potential to fundamentally reshape startup methodologies.

«There are already numerous startups run by a single individual generating $10 million in revenue. If artificial intelligence provides such a significant boost in efficiency, I can easily envision a billion-dollar company operated by just one person,» he emphasized.

An example of this is Surge itself, which has achieved a revenue of one billion dollars without relying on venture funding. Chen added that these results are not solely due to cutting-edge technology but also stem from the absence of bloated sales and public relations departments.