Should Humans write Code at all?

In the realm of technology, a hot topic is whether artificial intelligence, or AI, will take over from human coders. As we venture deeper into the AI era, it prompts us to question: Do humans really need to write code?

Right now, the tech industry is facing a shortage. It’s growing and evolving, but there aren’t enough coders to keep pace. That’s where AI could come in. It could meet this need, changing a situation of shortage into one of abundance.

This echoes the concept from the book “Abundance” by Dr. Peter Diamandis. He believes that we humans use technology to turn things we lack into things we have in plenty. Could the rise of AI be our next big step in this direction?

As a programmer, I know that coding isn’t just about making things work. It’s also about making it so that other people can understand what you’ve done. This understanding is key to a project’s growth and development. But we’re often starting from scratch on new software instead of improving what we already have. Why? Because we lack the people and flexibility to do so.

Here’s the main problem: the language barrier. Computers understand 0s and 1s, while we use thousands of different languages. Coding is our way of translating between these languages, so that both sides can understand. But is this only leading to more confusion?

If this gap will always exist, why do we keep trying to close it? Why not let the computer code itself, and create a way for us to understand what it’s doing?

This idea might seem far-fetched, but we’re already heading in this direction. We’re creating coding languages and tools that resemble human language. The next step might be to let computers write their own code.

In this potential future, humans won’t be useless. We’ll be needed to supervise and guide the creative process. AI can’t replicate our ability to generate new ideas, empathize, or make informed decisions.

So, should humans write code at all? Maybe we should be asking: How can we adapt and grow in our role as coders? As we progress into the AI era, we may need to rethink what coding means to us. This could be the solution to our coder shortage.

However, this focus on coding brings up a bigger point. Why aren’t we using this same problem-solving approach to address shortages of other essential resources like water, food, shelter, and education?

We worry about AI taking jobs, but could we instead view this shift as an opportunity to reshape society? What if we didn’t need to work to live, but could live to enjoy life? How would we interact with each other? What could we achieve with all this free time? How would our lives and decisions change?

The conversation isn’t just about writing code. It’s about shaping the future. It’s about moving from scarcity to abundance in all aspects of life. It’s about envisioning a society where the basic necessities are met, allowing us to explore our true potential as human beings. And that’s a story we’re all part of.