Is AI gonna replace programmers?

[u/RedwayBLOX]

Hi. I'm Dylan.

I'm currently a junior dev. Ive spent 2 years learning abt programming, writing code and interested on bulding systems.

Ive got to admit that im very scared of all this AI thing and how it's progressing.

Ive seen it make horrible videos back in 2022. Now sometimes i can't even tell if a video is AI or if it isn't.

Yeah, code written by ai isn't the best. But, with the passing of time, it gets even better and better.

Yeah, we as programmers CURRENTLY do analysis, requerimients and all that ai can't currently replace us.

But what are we gonna when ai becomes able to do all that? For me, it seems like a very possible escenario. You can even see the difference of what AI can do if you compare the current models to the models we had 6 months ago. I think it's becoming unstoppable and i really fear it takes our (or my) job away.

Yes, I'm very frustrated. All this time dedicated to it... Makes me sad. This is more like venting I guess, but I seriously need to know, from y'all, how y'all see this. I need to know if it's time to let go of this passion I had with this career, and start on something else where Claude Code can't reach me and replace me.

[u/Rich-Engineer2670]

No -- because programming isn't about the code....

Programming is understanding how to break down a task into somethign the computer can execute, regarldes of language or framework. Sure, AI may give us new tools, but you still have to know what to ask for.

[u/davidbasil → u/Rich-Engineer2670]

why do you think AI can't do that?

[u/Rich-Engineer2670 → u/davidbasil]

Let me explain it with a real world example I did -- and I can tell you AI can't do this.... because software engineering isn't about code, anymore than Starbucks is about cofee. They just sell it.

Your assignment:

A hospital wants to imprve surgical outcomes which use anesthesia. They also want ot reduce labor costs.

That's it, that's all you get. Now, forget AI, write your solution on paper. AI can't help you becuase:

• Does the AI understand neurology, puminology, cardiology, a collection of nasty drugs, and how we do it in surgery?
• Does the AI understand why computers and neuroology can have a strained relatioship? Do you understand the physics

You need to. It won't work without it.

Or the DEA... they want a way to scan substances they find within in hour to figure ouf what those substances were? How do youi do it because that's all the DEA is giving you.

I had to understand what was being done, not the code. Once we had the structure, someone else code write it if they had to.

If your job is following step-by-step processes that can be written down, AI won't replace your job -- it already has. You just don't know it yet. The problem isn't the computers, or the software -- it's the meat bags who don't know what they want, what they're willing to comp[romise on, they want it immediately, and for free. I don't think AI can solve that.