At some point, you will have learned about the passive voice,
where the actor in a sentence is unclear.
For example, my software didn’t compile. That’s a good example
of the passive voice.
However, you might not know the full set of rules,
because here are some sentences in the passive voice
that you might not recognize:

Claude made an error in my writeup.
ChatGPT messed up the commitment.
Gemini didn’t write tests.

You might think those are active sentences, but those
are in fact examples of the agentic passive voice.
The rule here is: whenever the actor in a sentence is a model,
then it’s a passive sentence.
I’m sorry if your grammar instructor never taught you this rule,
but this is just the way it works now.

Lethain, authored by Will Larson, offers a unique perspective on engineering management, leadership, and organizational dynamics. Developers and engineering leaders can explore topics such as team building, career growth, and organizational design, gaining insights into building high-impact engineering organizations. With thoughtful reflections and actionable advice, Lethain serves as a resource for those navigating the complexities of engineering leadership.

Irrational Exuberance

A short satirical piece coining the term 'agentic passive voice' to call out developers who blame AI models (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini) for mistakes instead of taking personal responsibility. The author argues that attributing errors to AI tools is a form of deflection, and urges engineers to write — and think — in the active voice, owning the outcomes of their AI-assisted work.

The agentic passive voice.