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A Coder Considers the Waning Days of the Craft

Nov 14, 2023 - newyorker.com
The author, a professional coder, explores the impact of AI on the future of programming, particularly the rise of AI coding assistant GPT-4. He shares his personal experiences and fears about how AI could render traditional coding skills obsolete, as it can solve complex programming tasks faster and more efficiently. However, he also acknowledges the potential benefits of AI in programming, such as increased productivity and the ability to tackle more complex problems.

Despite his initial resistance, the author eventually embraces GPT-4 and finds that it transforms his work, making him more productive and efficient. He concludes that while traditional coding skills may become less important, the ability to understand what is worth building and how to communicate effectively will become more valuable. He suggests that the future of programming may involve more interaction with AI, and that the key skill to teach the next generation may not be coding, but a spirit of curiosity and adaptability.

Key takeaways:

  • The author, a professional coder, expresses concern that the skill of coding might become obsolete due to the rise of AI technologies like GPT-4, which can generate code and solve complex programming problems.
  • Despite initial resistance, the author starts using GPT-4 and finds that it significantly speeds up his work, although it requires careful prompting and doesn't completely replace the need for human input.
  • The author suggests that the role of programmers might shift from coding to designing, configuring, and maintaining software as AI makes software creation easier.
  • Despite the changes brought by AI, the author believes that the spirit of hacking or tinkering with technology will persist, and this might be the most important thing to teach future generations.
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