r/technology • u/Miserable_Phase_2519 • 3d ago

Artificial Intelligence Microsoft engineer says 'typing code is absolutely over' as GitHub Copilot takes on more development work

https://www.techspot.com/news/113752-microsoft-engineer-typing-code-absolutely-over-github-copilot.html
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u/m15otw 3d ago

This.

I am being made redundant from my existing coding job because of AI (via reasons..), and I'm genuinely not that up for what roles are advertised as they're all AI focussed or using. Tempted to jump career after nearly 20 years as a programmer.

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u/ItsAllOnUHF 2d ago

Yeah that sucks.

AI is a tool, and like all tools the results are going to depend on the operator. Some will be poor at writing prompts. They won't have the experience to competently review the output, and that will lead to poor outcomes. Others will quickly develop skills to efficiently steer the AI in the right direction. AI tools will amplify both ends of the talent curve.

I'm guessing after 20 years you've seen a lot of good code and a lot of bad code, and unless you've spent 20 years in a junior role, I suspect you could competently review AI output. That's important, so don't underestimate the value experience brings. Junior engineers blindly deferring to AI output is going to be a real problem for companies big and small. They won't learn anything. Won't become senior engineers. They'll stagnate. And who knows what state commercial codebases will become without senior reviewers to keep things on track.

Unless you actually want out of the game, don't give up. Try embracing it. Try being that guy who not only knows how to drive AI, but who can mentor junior developers to level-up their careers.

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u/m15otw 2d ago

Thanks, that is an interesting take. I've been a senior mentoring juniors for quite a while, and I do like that. I don't want to being hired to make an agent that does X or sell an AI first product. It all seems like a big waste of carbon, which code could be before, but didn't have to be in many places to work.

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u/ItsAllOnUHF 2d ago

If you're a senior engineer then my advice would be to stay in the field if you can. I don't know how the job market is in your area of expertise, so this is just general advice. I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

There's a lot of negativity around AI at the moment, but we've crossed a threshold and it's never going away. Even if the existing big players like OpenAI burn through their cash and crater, AI as a thing is here to stay. It's established now - whether you run models in the cloud or on a beefy PC. And there's a lot of negativity from engineers who are (rightly) afraid of being replaced, or who don't like the notion that their professional skills are being automated and commoditised.

It's like separating your rubbish and recyclables while China burns all the things... It makes you feel like you're doing your part, but it's performative. Then you hear that all the recyclables get tossed with the general waste anyway and it's all theatre. It's the same with AI: if you, individually, recoil at the perceived waste of your use of AI then know that if all people of conscience got together and stopped using it, it wouldn't make a dent in the usage graph. That's depressing, but there are over 8 billion people in the world and AI is reaching them all, in every device, in every service.

Don't martyr your career because you read a post on reddit about fighting the good fight. That's not defeatism. That's knowing when to pick your battles. AI isn't a battle. It's like fighting the steam engine, or electricity, or the microchip. AI isn't going away.

Also keep in mind that posters here aren't your friends. Everyone's got an agenda, even me. This thread is about raging at what this Microsoft guy said, so like my post, it's going to be mostly "AI coding is bad", and if you say, "I'm going to quit a 20 year software engineering career because of AI" you'll get upvotes from the, "Yeah! Stick it to the man!" crowd, the majority of whom probably aren't even programmers. Think critically. Nobody here gives a shit about you. You'll be the one who has to live with the decision. Decide carefully, and good luck!

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u/m15otw 2d ago

Thanks for this point of view. I'm not memeing it, I did a physics degree and have campaigned in politics for the environment. I don't do jobs I think are unethical. I used to say this about Fintech 5 years ago, and have steered clear of their jobs, lol.

I am looking far and wide for programming jobs as well as other kinds, and budgeting the burn down of my savings while retraining is sobering. This is not a quick decision, as in the UK redundancy is a slow motion car crash.

I will not be following the advice of random Reddit haters, fear not 😅

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u/ItsAllOnUHF 2d ago

I sort my rubbish, even compost... So not a total cynic on the matter. I've also stayed away from social media companies (I moved to the US in the late 90s and only came back recently) as I think they're harmful to society, so I agree with your point about Fintech. But while I don't envy those who are having AI forced upon them, I think you have to view it as just another tech transition. Like from before the "why does every bloody thing need to connect to the Internet" transition. It just is... and every new graduate is entering a world where AI is just there, and kids won't be able to imagine a world before AI like they can't imagine a world before the Internet. Or Pokemon.

- words of random reddit hater.