Update/Yesterday was Programmer's Day. As someone who has lived through the eras of PC software, desktop internet, mobile internet, crypto networks, and AI, I can honestly share my superficial views.
AI's impact will be irreversible. But I don't want to generalize.
1/ The biggest challenges will undoubtedly be faced by the front-end programmers, UI designers, and graphic designers thronging large companies. This is because, since personal computing entered the commercial and personal lives, programmers familiar with popular languages like JS and designers of tools like Photoshop have been the darlings of the profession for the past two decades. However, AI and agents, trained and even reinforced through learning from algorithms and program code libraries, present the greatest challenge for most programmers today.
2/ In the computer software industry, in the early 2000s, teams of a few programmers self-deprecatingly called themselves software workshops, and programmer assembly lines and integration factories were a source of pride. Today, however, small and medium-sized software companies are becoming a thing of the past. Computer software is now focused on the tooling of general or specialized knowledge libraries and workflows, and many traditional application concepts may become obsolete. Today, however, AI is replacing software, directly delivering the ultimate results by providing requirements. By the way, programmers should stop using the outdated term "coder farmer" as a joke. 3/ AI directly benefits many people, the biggest being those with product management backgrounds and young entrepreneurs. From the crossbow to the musket, every tool revolution has seen a class leap for adventurers. Just as in the era of personal computers and the internet, the courage to act without fear of failure, the ability to learn, and imagination are more valuable in the A era. Of course, smart people always find the right opportunities.
4/ Building on the above, a person's interdisciplinary knowledge structure and creative spirit are even more crucial. The integration of business, economics, finance, the arts, and even the humanities is crucial. In today's education system, fundamental challenges are more prominent, unless you play dead. Comprehensive universities enhance a person's value far more than specialized colleges. This isn't a new consensus, but AI is currently lifting the veil and fig leaf.
5/ Opportunities beyond purely technical roles remain vast. Many say marketing and sales positions are being marginalized. The opposite is true. In the AI era, real-world connections between people are even more crucial. What people love most is still human beings and members of the opposite sex.
6/ Therefore, I would even venture to say that the ownership and use of offline spaces and scenes are as significant as the land and gold of history. Just wait and see.
That's all for now.