Ask HN: What are you doing to prepare for the AI takeover of SE?

2•roflyear•8mo ago

Even as an AI skeptic, I have to admit that there is the real possibility that AI tools significantly reduce the need for software engineers going forward. I find it hard to believe they will be removed from all industries in the near future (I figure highly regulated industries, defense, etc.. will probably take many years to adopt these tools) and while I am still skeptical, I wouldn't want to be caught unprepared. I have about ten years left in this industry before I would consider I no longer need to work - and while I live pretty frugally, being without any real income for a long period of time would be a massive life event for me.

What are you doing to prepare for this potential future, if anything?

How do you plan on making yourself more valuable or indispensable to your company or industry?

Are you planning on a career pivot?

How are you dealing with the anxiety of this upcoming possibility?

Comments

mattl•8mo ago

Trying to learn some other useful skills, like sculpting and painting.

austin-cheney•8mo ago

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I am of the belief that AI is currently so primitive and unremarkable that any jobs it does kill almost certainly should not have been there in the first place.

Software is unregulated. That means that unless market pressures demand otherwise businesses are incentivized to treat developers as low quality replaceable commodities, something just a little bit smarter than data entry. That is ripe for a disruptive shakeup but I really don’t think AI will bridge that gap.

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