The Privilege of Being a Software Engineer

I love coding. It's as simple as that.

When I discovered programming, something clicked in my brain. Being able to tell a computer in minute detail how to perform complex tasks always felt like a superpower. To me, it is the perfect combination of science, art and craft.

Because of that, I've come to see working professionally as a software engineer as a huge privilege.

Lately though, something changed. AI entered the picture, with more and more voices telling me, how it can basically handle large amounts of coding for you. And these are not just Tech-CEOs, these are people like Simon Willison from my own little Python/Django bubble, who writes:

LLMs are a gift to the fiercely curious and ambitious.

These are both adjectives that I'd like to label myself with. Still, when using LLMs, the above is not what I'm feeling. If the quote is true, this either means, that I'm not curious or ambitious, or that I just have a classic skill issue and am using them incorrectly. Or maybe it isn't true (yet).

In total honesty though, the major reason why I am not hyped about LLMs is simple: Fear. Not necessarily fear of losing my job, but that the very nature of coding changes.

From a professional perspective, I will keep up-to-date on AI and AI-based tooling. Even if I don't use it, I should damn well know what I'm up against so that I can position myself against this new competitor.

From a personal perspective, I might have to get used to the idea that hand-crafting code might become a purely recreational activity.

Maybe I'm getting old.