How We Hire Engineers When AI Writes Our Code

A founder at Tolan describes how they redesigned their engineering interview process around AI-assisted coding. Instead of algorithmic puzzles, candidates spend a morning building a small real-world feature using any AI tools they choose (Claude, Cursor, Codex, etc.), then discuss their decisions, trade-offs, and what they'd improve. The key signal isn't working code but judgment: knowing what to prioritize under time constraints, questioning unclear specs, understanding the code produced, and recognizing when something isn't ready to ship. The author argues that while AI changes how much code engineers produce, it hasn't changed what makes a great engineer.