alt Hacker NewsAlso the nature of software is that the more software is written the more software needs to be written to manage, integrate, and make use of all the software that has been written.
AI automating software production could hugely increase demand for software.
The same thing happened as higher level languages replaced manual coding in assembly. It allowed vastly more software and more complex and interesting software to be built, which enlarged the industry.
> AI automating software production could hugely increase demand for software
Let's think this through
1: AI automates software production
2: Demand for software goes through the roof
3: AI has lowered the skill ceiling required to make software, so many more can do it with a 'good-enough' degree of success
4: People are making software for cheap because the supply of 'good enough' AI prompters still dwarfs the rising demand for software
5: The value of being a skilled software engineer plummets
6: The rich get richer, the middle class shrinks even further, and the poor continue to get poorer
This isn't just some kind of wild speculation. Look at any industry over the history of mankind. Look at Textiles
People used to make a good living crafting clothing, because it was a skill that took time to learn and master. Automation makes it so anyone can do it. Nowadays, automation has made it so people who make clothes are really just operating machines. Throughout my life, clothes have always been made by the cheapest overseas labour that capital could find. Sometimes it has even turned out that companies were using literal slaves or child labour.
Meanwhile the rich who own the factories have gotten insanely wealthy, the middle class has shrunk substantially, and the poor have gotten poorer
Do people really not see that this will probably be the outcome of "AI automates literally everything"?
Yes, there will be "more work" for people. Yes, overall society will produce more software than ever
McDonalds also produces more hamburgers than ever. The company makes tons of money from that. The people making the burgers usually earn the least they can legally be paid