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Under the theme “The Renaissance Developer: Building in the Age of AI”, Vogels shared insights drawn from more than two decades of building technology systems at global scale. He noted that programming languages and tools will continue to evolve, particularly as AI transforms software development. What remains essential, however, is an engineer’s ability to understand problems, think in systems and recognize how different components interact.
Addressing concerns that AI could make traditional coding skills obsolete, Vogels said AI can generate code for individual components, but humans must still understand the overall architecture, evaluate consequences and remain accountable for the final product. He highlighted an engineering principle at Amazon: “If you build it, you own it”.
For the “Renaissance Developer”, Vogels also emphasized communication, curiosity and lifelong learning. Engineers, he said, do not build technology simply for technology’s sake; they ultimately solve problems for people and businesses. They therefore need to communicate effectively with users and decision-makers, understand real needs and make informed choices about architecture, cost and performance.
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AI, meanwhile, is making experimentation faster. Working prototypes can now be developed much more quickly, allowing teams to test ideas with users, gather feedback and learn from failure. Vogels encouraged students to experiment rather than automatically adopt the largest or most fashionable AI model, noting that a smaller and less costly solution may sometimes be better suited to the problem.
Before the student exchange, VNU President Prof. Bui The Duy and Vogels discussed technology talent development, AI’s impact on programming, and opportunities to expand cooperation between VNU and Amazon Web Services (AWS) in digital skills, cloud computing, AI and innovation. VNU aims to equip students not only with technological expertise but also with the mindset needed to adapt to a rapidly changing world.
Vogels concluded with a practical message for VNU students: build something genuinely useful, put it in the hands of real users, and stay with it long enough to learn from what happens in practice. In the age of AI, the enduring value of engineers lies not merely in writing code, but in understanding problems, mastering technology and taking responsibility for what they create.
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