>When I look back at my career path, I remember how I actively steered myself to be at the most demanded role within boundaries of my interest. Each job change, voluntary or not, was a step up.
Yes, but here's the problem: Those steps behind you are being destroyed. It's not the senior engineers who are getting replaced; it's the people fresh out of college looking for their first job. And as AI gets better each step above that first job will disappear.
You'll be fine. Your job won't get replaced until after you're gone. But when you look around you're not going to see any young people.
I've seen this point a lot on the web, how people compare AI to junior devs, and bring up the idea of replacement. This is, of course, a pipe dream. In fact, I work with a few people just from the college, and I see how AI helps them get up to speed faster. Even senior engineers benefit a lot from AI coding.
Their value to the company is not in how fast they can churn out new code, but in the deep domain understanding they build, and in the agency to drive the project they are responsible for.
As for the "destroyed steps behind me", I wouldn't take the same steps if I were starting my career now. My point was to actively seek and learn what's needed by the industry.
> Your job won't get replaced until after you're gone
Given the pace of AI development I don't think that's guaranteed. The game is to stay on top of the AI even if it means expanding your interests from programming to mostly product management.
> For example, a caricature unambitious person who learned one job, not demanding, but stable and safe. They do their nine to five, make weekend plans, and wait for retirement.
I bet he his in US, from all countries, it seems to be the one with more people that see work for live as some kind of sin, to be looked down upon, one has to work every second of their lives, when not they are being lazy.
Especially around SV culture, this goes over the top.
Is this satire, because it reads like satire. If most dev work is replaced, and I think its a big if by now, clearly thousands will be out if a job, they cant all will themselfs into a senior management position. Besides, it would probably be easier to replace the managers with AI.
This suggests a possible trend in which the separation between development and managerial roles becomes less meaningful.
We can have more product engineers who combine software expertise with domain knowledge to deliver complete solutions independently.
Similar to how people operate in startups, wearing many hats and making progress quickly and autonomously.
laughing_man|4 months ago
Yes, but here's the problem: Those steps behind you are being destroyed. It's not the senior engineers who are getting replaced; it's the people fresh out of college looking for their first job. And as AI gets better each step above that first job will disappear.
You'll be fine. Your job won't get replaced until after you're gone. But when you look around you're not going to see any young people.
peterdemin|4 months ago
scotty79|4 months ago
Given the pace of AI development I don't think that's guaranteed. The game is to stay on top of the AI even if it means expanding your interests from programming to mostly product management.
missingdays|4 months ago
The horror. People making weekend plans.
pjmlp|4 months ago
Especially around SV culture, this goes over the top.
AllegedAlec|4 months ago
What absolute fucking self-congratulatory drivel.
pjmlp|4 months ago
johanvts|4 months ago
peterdemin|4 months ago
unknown|4 months ago
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alganet|4 months ago
Sure, Mr. Palpatine. Any time now.
fallen_comrade|4 months ago
unknown|4 months ago
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