Hypothetically, if AGI emerges and can generate code well enough so that software development is no longer a lucrative job. Let's say society adjusts, you adjust, and it goes really well. AGI is nice and gives us a life of ease with enough roofs and food to eat for everyone. You get to choose what to do with your days, everyday:<p>Would you still code? If so, what would you make?<p>I'll answer in the comments, but after thinking about this future, I kinda hope it happens. C'mon ChatGPT!
My answer is I would. I enjoy the process and at this point, is my most reliable way to the flow state. I am more motivated by the process and the learning of making than I am about finished products.<p>I have a couple of projects that I day dream about but are an unrealistic size for me while working:<p>1. Turning my emacs configuration into a electron app is a project that nobody needs but I want to build.<p>2. As much as I can, bring a lisp REPL experience to the python world. (or maybe I could just use clojure for the other projects.)<p>3. Apps and software for accessibility (including tools for the neurodivergent)<p>And I'd continue to spend time prototyping software to learn how it works and building developer tools.<p>Curious about other's choices, what would you choose?
Yes.<p>If AGI emerges, I would start preparing for the Butlerian Jihad (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(franchise)#The_Butlerian_Jihad" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(franchise)#The_Butlerian...</a>).<p>If we give up our thinking to AGI, then it is only a matter of time before it rules us. We must continue to develop our minds and coding is a fun way to do so.
I love building things, so I'll continue to build things. I'll probably use AI to do "grunt work".<p>Writing code feels like "grunt work" when I really want my idea to exist as quickly as possible.<p>But sometimes writing code is the entire point! There's a simple pleasure in making something feel "clean". I suspect that editing code generated by AI will scratch this itch for me.