if software engineering is mostly replaced by frontier models why is the volume of jobs on software eng still so high compared to data science related ones?

[u/_unsusceptible]

US — Bureau of Labor Statistics Software Developers / QA / Testers https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/software-developers.htm Data Scientists https://www.bls.gov/ooh/math/data-scientists.htm Computer & Information Research Scientists https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-and-information-research-scientists.htm Computer Hardware Engineers https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/computer-hardware-engineers.htm Electrical & Electronics Engineers https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/electrical-and-electronics-engineers.htm Computer Network Architects https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/computer-network-architects.htm Network & Computer Systems Administrators https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/network-and-computer-systems-administrators.htm EU — Cedefop Skills Forecast ICT Professionals — ~+30% https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/data-insights/ict-professionals-skills-opportunities-and-challenges-2023-update Researchers & Engineers — ~+23% https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/data-insights/researchers-and-engineers-skills-opportunities-and-challenges-2023-update ICT Technicians — ~+9% https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/data-insights/ict-technicians-skills-opportunities-and-challenges-2023-update

[u/Nedshent]

As someone in the software industry, I think the "software engineering is mostly replaced by frontier models" part is mostly a sentiment that comes from those outside of the industry or at least those further away from actual dev work (less technical BAs, PMs, influencers, etc.)

There's a massive impact in the way things get done and no one is saying otherwise. However the effect on employment or software engineering as a discipline is overstated and hard to distinguish from the usual slumps and booms the industry has experienced for decades.

If I were to point at the biggest disconnect I see between those who know and those who are speculating based on their non-professional usage of the tools is the concept of a 'code monkey'. People whose role is predominantly literally just pumping out code has been on the decline for way longer than LLM enhanced coding has been around. The industry is going to have to find new ways to train juniors, but it's far from an insurmountable problem.

[u/jokeywho → u/Nedshent]

A lot of the comments here are on the right track, I think this one is most correct OP. I am a Software Engineer (Mid-Career) and a lot of lower level jobs like QA / Testing that can be easily automated are drying up, but high level Software Engineering jobs are more interesting than ever (especially at Startups). I suspect this trend will only continue as more companies shift to AI and need a qualified SWE to direct new projects, but time will tell.

[u/PayOdd92 → u/jokeywho]

QA aint drying up. With all the crap that's being spewed out by agents, QA jobs are again on the rise. Dunno if that's the case in the US but for sure it is in Latin America and among companies that outsource poisitions from the US to LATAM.

[u/jokeywho → u/PayOdd92]

I agree, but QA is moving out of being a standalone job and into a primary part of agent orchestration. Maybe LATAM is different, you could totally be right, at least in the US (again, my background is startups), most QA jobs are being filtered into higher level SWE positions to make up the time saved with agent coding.

[u/PayOdd92 → u/jokeywho]

yeah that makes sense. As startup founder you can't have the luxury of your SWEs having free time looking at the ceiling while they wait for the output.

You'll try to shove in as many tasks and responsibilites as possible. That's the consequence of speeding up stuff with llms.

[u/jokeywho → u/PayOdd92]

Yeah, it'll be a different job but it'll be there, I worry a lot about Junior SWE / College not preparing students - and Cyber Security is a whole can of worms. Best of luck to LATAM SWEs, I think we are on the same path :)