The author makes a strong case against the current use of AI, and I agree that today’s tools can’t replace the deep thinking, creativity, and intuition that good programming requires. At best, they’re sophisticated parrots, useful in some ways, but fundamentally lacking understanding, maybe this will change down the road.
That said, there’s another angle worth considering. AI has introduced a new kind of labor: prompt engineers.
These aren’t traditional programmers, but they interact with models to produce code-like output that resembles the work of software developers. It’s not perfect, and it raises plenty of concerns, but it does represent a shift in how we think about code generation and labor.
Regardless of which side of the fence you're on, I think we can all agree that this paradigm shift is happening, and arguments like the authors raise valid and important concerns.
At the same time, there are also compelling reasons some people choose to embrace AI tools.
In my opinion, the most crucial piece of all this is government policy. Policymakers need to get more involved to ensure we're prepared for this fast-moving and labor-disruptive technology.
Are we better off since the new labor category of mass producing garbage food was innovated? Is the convenience worth the costs to society? Sure there are people compelled to deliver this product but are their interest aligned with ours, minus the momentary need for convenience? Did government policy effectively counter public health consequences?
I get what you’re saying, and agree there’s definitely a big risk right now of mass-producing poor-quality results.
I see it happening every day. It’s especially concerning when the person using the tool doesn’t really understand the output. That kind of disconnect can be dangerous. But at the same time, I’ve also read about cases where AI helped scientists accelerate research and save years of work. So there’s clearly potential for good.
In my case, I’m genuinely worried about where this technology could lead us. But I’m still hopeful. With enough awareness through voices like the author’s and continued public pressure, maybe policymakers will step up and take it seriously before things get out of hand. Thanks for your comment.
That said, there’s another angle worth considering. AI has introduced a new kind of labor: prompt engineers.
These aren’t traditional programmers, but they interact with models to produce code-like output that resembles the work of software developers. It’s not perfect, and it raises plenty of concerns, but it does represent a shift in how we think about code generation and labor.
Regardless of which side of the fence you're on, I think we can all agree that this paradigm shift is happening, and arguments like the authors raise valid and important concerns.
At the same time, there are also compelling reasons some people choose to embrace AI tools.
In my opinion, the most crucial piece of all this is government policy. Policymakers need to get more involved to ensure we're prepared for this fast-moving and labor-disruptive technology.
Just my two cents and thanks for sharing.