Software engineer Gudong worked late tonight, spending two hours on code review for a major feature release. After three months of development, this final check before merging into the repository revealed issues needing fixes. Gudong works at a major Chinese internet company, building the interaction features millions use daily in apps like Xiaohongshu and Weibo.

Gudong's routine highlights the gap between AI hype and current enterprise software reality. While AI writes code for side projects, company work still requires manual development due to reliability concerns. The traditional pipeline remains rigid: product managers, UI designers, and frontend developers each contribute before testing and release. This human-heavy process ensures stability but slows delivery.

Looking ahead, Gudong anticipates AI transforming the entire development cycle, from design to AI testing AI. The goal isn't unemployment but liberation from repetitive tasks. For now, developers remain essential, directing AI tools where possible while handling complex company code themselves. This vision of automated workflows drives the industry's push toward smarter, more capable programming assistants.