Linus Torvalds' early work on Linux was technically impressive but within reach of many skilled programmers, not just a unique genius.
Torvalds shifted from writing most code himself to primarily leading and coordinating the Linux project, delegating implementation to maintainers.
His role as leader involves maintaining design coherence and direction, not reviewing every patch line-by-line, unlike many other project maintainers.
This leadership style mirrors modern AI-assisted programming, where developers act as directors guiding agents (like maintainers) rather than writing all code.
Automatic programming, when done well, requires expertise in design and communication, not just prompting, and demands training similar to Linus' evolution.