A code pattern and a cliche: AI and the written word | State of Docs Podcast

Technical writing isn't disappearing in the age of AI — it's being redefined. In this episode of the State of Docs podcast, host Tal Gluck talks with Eric Holscher, co-founder of Write the Docs, and a foundational figure in the modern documentation community. We discuss what AI is doing to the written word: where writers still matter, where agents are pulling ahead, and how the craft holds its value as the ground shifts.Eric draws a sharp line between a code pattern and a cliché — the same move of leaning on what came before, but a virtue in code and a failure in prose — which is why AI has surged ahead on code while, as he puts it, the value of the written word has never been higher. We talk about why "the writing is the part where you do the thinking," the rise of the "context gardener" as a new kind of documentation role, what the Write the Docs salary survey reveals about the profession right now, and why being visibly, verifiably human becomes a real advantage as AI-generated content floods the web.Some of the questions we cover:- Will AI replace technical writers?- How is AI changing the role of the technical writer?- Why is AI better at writing code than documentation?- Do AI coding agents actually read your docs?- What new skills do technical writers need in the age of AI?- How can you benchmark your salary as a technical writer?- How do you stand out when hiring is flooded with AI-generated applicants?Topics covered: AI in technical writing, the future of the technical writer role, writing for AI agents vs. humans, whether coding agents read documentation, the Write the Docs community and salary survey, context and the "context gardener" role, human authorship in the age of AI, docs as marketing for open source, and career advice for technical writers.Check out Write the Docs at: https://www.writethedocs.org/State of Docs is an annual research initiative tracking trends in technical writing, developer documentation, and knowledge management. This podcast releases the full conversations behind the report.Read the 2026 report here: https://www.stateofdocs.com/2026GitBook transforms documentation into an intelligent knowledge system that connects content, context, and AI — so your docs don't just exist, they actively learn and get better over time. Learn more:Learn more:✨ Get started for free: https://app.gitbook.com/join📚 Explore the docs: https://gitbook.com/docs🌐 Visit GitBook: https://gitbook.com