ChatGPT can only make juniors or average programmers obsolete because it generates certain well-known pieces and blocks of code, aka boilerplate.

Even when I was working with Java a lifetime ago I kept wondering why do I have to write these 20 classes by hand when they can be generated rather easily. Eventually of course the community added such generators.

As a senior my job is only 5-10% writing code. Most of the time I am gathering business requirements, documenting, enriching tests (either by increasing coverage, or adding fixtures, or making realistic mocks). When you actually get to the part where you write business logic code, you’re expected to produce it quickly and it must adhere to a number of good practices. That’s why you’re a senior – writing the code is not a challenge to you.

When it comes to generating code, that’s actually a very easy task. But try writing a generator that must parse your DB schema and Ecto models and move a field from one table to another.

I’d be hugely impressed by a tool that can do such activities. Just burping out a bunch of code with predetermined specifications is not a feat.

Now recognizing the human language and linking it to the underlying piece of info is a good technical achievement in itself – but it doesn’t at all mean the tool “understands” code.

The jobs for mathematicians should be safe for now as well.

grafik1080×1262 63.2 KB

I saw this the other day:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33844537

The blog post:

https://thetinycto.com/blog/writing-a-game-using-chatgpt

The game:

https://thetinycto.com/gpt-game