I dunno, it depends what you are building. The creative problem solving part is about 5% of a typical programming job. The rest is gluing together existing libraries, boilerplate, using Google, and people stuff.
While it's true that not every programming job requires extensive creativity, problem-solving skills are still essential for developers to succeed in their careers. Programming is not just about writing code; it's also about finding the most efficient and effective ways to solve problems.
Moreover, the demand for problem-solving skills is only going to increase as AI-powered development tools become more advanced. These tools are great for certain tasks, but they lack the human creativity and intuition that can lead to unique and innovative solutions. As a result, developers who can think creatively and solve problems efficiently will always be in high demand, no matter what type of programming job they're working on.
So, while the "gluing together" and "people stuff" parts of programming are undoubtedly important, let's not overlook the critical role that problem-solving and creativity play in creating value for businesses and staying competitive in the tech industry.
That one's doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. The "people stuff" (working out requirements, managing expectations, explaining things, etc) has been arguably the most important software developer skill for a long time. As it happens, ChatGPT is still pretty bad at it.
Moreover, the demand for problem-solving skills is only going to increase as AI-powered development tools become more advanced. These tools are great for certain tasks, but they lack the human creativity and intuition that can lead to unique and innovative solutions. As a result, developers who can think creatively and solve problems efficiently will always be in high demand, no matter what type of programming job they're working on.
So, while the "gluing together" and "people stuff" parts of programming are undoubtedly important, let's not overlook the critical role that problem-solving and creativity play in creating value for businesses and staying competitive in the tech industry.