As part of a recent Tivi article exploring how AI agents are reshaping software development and developer roles, Nortal Finland’s CTO Jarkko Enden shares his perspective on the shift towards AI‑driven and agent‑based ways of working.
Enden highlights how the pace of change in the industry has accelerated significantly, with multiple shifts happening simultaneously. While continuous renewal has long been part of the IT industry, the transition to AI‑assisted and agent‑based ways of working is happening on a completely different scale, bringing multiple shifts at once. This speed also helps explain why resistance to change is becoming more visible, even in an industry known for adaptation.
In the agent era, traditional task‑focused development work is no longer enough. Developers need to operate at a higher level of abstraction, orchestrating AI agents, defining constraints, and validating outcomes rather than focusing exclusively on writing code. At the same time, the use of AI agents depends heavily on context: in the most critical projects, quality, security, and compliance requirements naturally set strict boundaries.
Enden highlights how AI agents open new opportunities in areas that were previously considered too complex or slow to tackle, such as large‑scale legacy modernisation. By analysing and restructuring vast codebases, agents can significantly accelerate understanding and renewal, provided humans stay firmly in control of orchestration and decision‑making.
“You need to let the agent write the code and focus yourself on orchestration.”