[kstenerud]

I've heard this "the end of the technical expert" and "lowering the bar to software development" mantra for decades (remember COBOL?). Non-technical people like to believe that technical-expertise-in-a-can is but a tool away, but it's a lot more complicated than that.

Like everything before it, AI will be a tool, not a panacea. Whatever a tool simplifies will be used by everyone, and thus no longer be valuable once the market saturates - just like before. And we'll still need technical people to design and build these systems, and to keep the whole thing running - just like before.

To borrow your phrase: Can AI sell? It's basically the same problem. If AI can develop software, then it can do anything a CEO can.

[ExecutiveDre]

Good point. I'm not among the camp who thinks technical people will be completely replaced by AI. I am part of the camp that believes AI will master hard skills long before it can master soft skills.

[kstenerud]

The thing is, the technical isn't just about converting ideas into implementation; there's a lot of strategy and creativity involved, so the problem space is about equal with "soft skills".

You can automate the repetitive busywork, but not the actual inspiration and direction - not without AGI. And once you have AGI, there's no need for humans at all anymore.