[cadamsdotcom]

People used to be programmers, but the ratio of typing to problem solving eventually caught up. Now programming is just part of the job.

Software engineering is falling to this trend too (somewhat)

The solution is to stop merely thinking of yourself as a software engineer and move up to the level of “manager of agents”.. but actually, managers deal with human stuff and this is fascinatingly mechanical - in fact even the unpredictability of these new tools is quite predictable. And so, a more useful framing is “software development process engineer”.

You can look at all the literature on building factories and production lines for ideas on what you’ll be doing.

You shouldn’t ever just have your agent write the software then review and ship it. You are missing massive opportunities to take yourself out of more loops over time. What self-reflection are you and the model doing to catch opportunities to improve? What is your method for codifying your acceptance criteria, so your agents can do the work to higher quality over time without you in the loop to get it there? What’s your process for continuous improvement? How do your models know what work other team members’ models are doing simultaneously so there’s less stepping on toes? Can THAT be automated so you don’t need to sit in Slack and trade “human-verbal locks” on areas of the architecture?

There’s immense room for creativity in the role of a software development process engineer.

[pjmlp]

The fallacy is to believe there is still a place for everyone.

[cadamsdotcom]

If only someone could invent some kind of educational institution to teach people new skills!

People could learn things and join the workforce!

/s

[kevinh]

Sure, you could go to an educational institution for 2-4 years and hope that your new job doesn't get automated away before you graduate.

[formerly_proven]

When I grow up, I'm going to Bovine University!

[pjmlp]

If only companies would actually hire people instead of optimising their worksheets for late stage capitalism at the expense of human capital.

New skills mean shit when there is no job market that can take everyone.

Usually people that have such takes of yours, never had to actually fight months, years, to finally get back on track.

Naturally, when selling AI, the take is to downplay its impact on people lives.

[cadamsdotcom]

I sympathise with the perspective - but software has always been this way, there’s always been creative destruction and the field has never stood still.

We signed up for this. YOU signed up for this. No one owes anyone a job. When the activities that create value change, move with it or get left behind.

If you prefer a vocation which has been the same for centuries that option is open to you. But to get into the software job market you’d best ask if the job you are trying to get is obsolete, and focus on fixing your skills and job search process/methodology.

The biggest question is “where is the net-new hiring?” (as opposed to backfill hiring) .. and then, if you are out of the market you have time on your hands to match skills to your answer.

[pjmlp]

I definitely did not sign for this, and I am very critical of taking part in any project whose goal is to make people jobless.

[palmotea]

> If only someone could invent some kind of educational institution to teach people new skills!

> People could learn things and join the workforce!

> /s

The point is to always, always blame the individuals being harmed for the structural problems they face.

Lost your job? Well fuck you if you can't afford to pay a lot of money to go back to school for years and support your family out of savings in the mean time. It's your own damn fault for not being rich enough.

[jplusequalt]

No there isn't, because *you* aren't doing any of the actual work.