The rise of AutoGPT: Will programmers lose their jobs?

Compilation丨Qianshan

Review | Yunzhao

Recently, a model called AutoGPT has become popular, and the number of stars has skyrocketed within a few weeks of its release on GitHub. As of now, AutoGPT's star number has reached 87k, which is close to 90k, exceeding PyTorch's 65k.

##Image source: https://github.com/Significant-Gravitas/Auto-GPT

According to the naming of AutoGPT, You can find that the magic lies in "auto", which is autonomous artificial intelligence. In short, as long as you give AutoGPT an instruction, it can think and deduce the next action independently, and execute and complete all tasks independently without the user's intervention.

A foreign tester asked AutoGPT to create a website. As a result, AutoGPT directly called the React framework to generate a front-end page, which took less than 3 minutes. No human participation is required during this period, and the React and Tailwind CSS used are independently determined by AutoGPT.

According to reports, AutoGPT is an open source AI agent Python application that uses GPT-4 as a basis to allow AI to act autonomously without the need for Users participate in intermediate links. OpenAI technology guru Andrej Karpathy bluntly stated on Twitter that AutoGPT is "the next frontier of prompt engineering."

Source: Twitter @Andrej Karpathy

Although some people still think that AutoGPT is just an experimental open source tool, Although it is popular but cannot be put into production, some people feel that this means that artificial intelligence that can make autonomous decisions is beginning to show great potential.

When an AI tool can automatically complete network search, information acquisition, independent coding and debugging, it may also mean that one day, the necessary process for programmers to complete product development will also be replaced by AI. Traditional Programming jobs are dead in the future.

So this brings up the question: Will coding die?

1. From the past to the future

Turn back the clock and go back to the late 1940s, when the first electronic computers were born and programming languages ​​emerged. Coding is a special skill that only a few people master and can apply skillfully.

As time goes by, coding has gradually become a powerful means for developers to change the world. In the barbaric era when the Internet and smartphones were gradually popularized, it took root and blossomed in all kinds of fields. But at the same time, people also began to discover the amazing learning and adaptability of machines, so the debate about "can machines replace people" was put on the table.

In today’s world, we seem to be at a crossroads. The wave of technology is carrying us forward, bringing efficiency but also causing more anxiety. When low-code came out, when Copilot appeared, when ChatGPT became popular, the public opinion that "programmers are about to lose their jobs" sounded over and over again.

On the one hand, there are those who insist that coding is still an essential skill and crucial to solving complex problems; on the other hand, there are those who boldly propose that software engineers, once scarce, have become ubiquitous today. Yes, coders, code is just a product of history and will eventually be lost to history. Machines are the choice in the new era.

Today, AI algorithms can generate code, create poetry, write copy, and design websites. In the eyes of futurists, this is just the tip of the iceberg. One day, more powerful artificial intelligence and automation tools will make a qualitative leap in the software development process, allowing even non-professional developers to create applications with minimal coding knowledge.

As the boundaries between humans and machines become increasingly blurred, the debate over the future of coding is becoming more intense.

2. Pros vs Contras

Regarding the future of coding, both sides have their own positions.

The basis for the judgment of those who argue that coding will eventually die is:

(1) The rise of artificial intelligence and automation: With the emergence of artificial intelligence-driven tools, traditional programming skills will become As machines take over these tasks with unparalleled speed and efficiency, coding will become useless.

(2) Citizenization of technology: With the proliferation of no-code and low-code platforms, the barriers to entry in the technology industry have been greatly reduced. This allows individuals without formal programming training to build applications and software, potentially reducing the need for traditional coding expertise.

(3) Changing Educational Focus: In a world dominated by artificial intelligence and automation, education will shift its focus from teaching the basics of coding to cultivating creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, skills that are rapidly increasing The evolving technology environment will make more than just coding skills a top priority.

(4) Evolution of programming languages: As programming languages ​​become more intuitive and user-friendly, the traditional role of coding may weaken, with developers spending less time on syntax and debugging, while accepting more about conceptualization and design information.

(5) Integration of human-machine collaboration: As the boundaries between humans and machines become blurred, we can foresee a future in which seamless human-machine interaction replaces the need for coding, and AI-driven systems can operate without coding. Can translate human intent into digital action.

Those who oppose the demise of coding believe that the following factors should not be ignored:

(1) Limitations of artificial intelligence and automation: Although artificial intelligence has made considerable progress, many complex tasks still require the creativity, intuition, and problem-solving skills unique to human programmers.

(2) Customized demand: Regardless of the popularity of no-code and low-code platforms, the demand for some personalized customized solutions will continue to exist. Traditional coding skills are still crucial for making such applications.

(3) The irreplaceable role of programmers: No matter how mature artificial intelligence develops, skilled programmers are still needed to develop, maintain and optimize artificial intelligence-driven systems to ensure that coding remains a part of the technology industry. A basic side-by-side skill.

(4) Complexity of emerging technologies: As technology advances, new programming languages, frameworks, and platforms will emerge, which forces developers to constantly adapt and master new skills. This continued evolution demonstrates that coding will not become obsolete, but will evolve alongside the technology it supports.

(5) Human insight that machines lack: Technology is essentially a tool to meet human needs. The empathy, understanding, and emotional acuity of human programmers will serve as key components in crafting software that meets the complex and nuanced needs of users.

3. A world without coding

Whether coding will disappear or not will not be concluded in a short period of time. But we might as well make a more extreme hypothesis: what would a world without coding look like. In this unknown distant world, we may find ourselves in a realm where technology has transcended the boundaries of code.

In this world, software development becomes as easy as everyday expression. No longer bound by a programming language, developers can harness the power of AI to turn their vision into reality by simply outlining their ideas in simple language; traditional programming education will also change, and students will no longer be committed to Instead of focusing on the details of grammar and algorithms, we will focus on the bigger picture, cultivating creativity and critical thinking; the technology industry’s barriers to entry into traditional industries will also disappear, opening the door to an unprecedented wave of innovation.

What about the programmers who once held the keys to the digital realm? They will not go out of style, but will continue to evolve. Their role will shift from coding experts to architects of AI-driven systems, working to orchestrate the symphony of automation that powers the social fabric of society.

The world will become a playground for the curious, where the boundaries between reality and imagination are no longer so insurmountable, and where the only limit to innovation is the threshold of human creativity.

In such an extreme scenario, rather than saying that the code has disappeared, it is better to say that it has become "invisible". As GitHub CEO Chris Wanstrath said: "The future of coding is no coding at all." This is unimaginable based on reality. But just like before the advent of smartphones, we couldn't imagine that life could be integrated into this small screen.

Coding is no longer the focus of the work, but it is still "running" somewhere, but its role has changed. In the foreseeable future, artificial intelligence and automation will actually enhance human programming capabilities, creating a flexible and evolving environment for developers and innovators.

4. Brave New World

When we review history, examine the focus of debate in the coding debate, and explore the pros and cons of the demise of coding, it seems that we can already draw a conclusion: the fate of coding seems Not extinction, but transformation. The rise of artificial intelligence and automation, along with the citizenization of technology and the development of programming languages, will undoubtedly reshape the role of coding in our society.

However, these changes are not an end, but a new beginning. In this new journey, the boundaries between humans and machines are constantly being redefined, and the scope of innovation is only limited by our imagination.

In this world, coding will not disappear, but will adapt and evolve, embracing the tide of change. Programmers will not be just relics of history, but will continue to shape the future and play a vital role in guiding the development of AI.

As we stand on the precipice of a new era, we must not be intimidated by the unknown, nor mourn the death of coding. Instead, we should accept the challenge and rejoice in redefining the nature of human-machine collaboration. Because it is in this limited space, where the realms of code and creativity merge, that the true meaning of innovation is unleashed. Our adventures today will continue to shape the destiny of generations to come.

Original link: https://link.medium.com/h2MNlYtH5yb

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