AI coding has hit an 'intelligence saturation' point, Cognition cofounder says

What happened: Cognition cofounder Russell Kaplan said many software engineering tasks are now "intelligence saturated," meaning once any model can do a task well, cost and speed are all that matter. Key numbers: A 10-point advantage in model intelligence now delivers just 20% more developer traffic, down from nearly 69% in late 2025, per The Information. Why it matters: Kaplan said the reporting is directionally consistent with Cognition's internal data, suggesting a strategic shift for AI companies competing for developers and enterprise contracts.

Cognition cofounder Russell Kaplan said many software engineering tasks are now "intelligence saturated," meaning once any model can do a task well, cost and speed are all that matter.

Kaplan said the reporting is directionally consistent with Cognition's internal data, suggesting a strategic shift for AI companies competing for developers and enterprise contracts.