Thus far, AI company execs and technologists had been talking about how AI will disrupt coding, but even politicians now seem to have cottoned on to what might be happening.
Former US President Barack Obama recently offered some stark predictions about the future of work in the age of AI. In a wide-ranging interview, he claimed that current AI models can already code better than a significant majority of programmers, potentially displacing workers across various professions. His comments are particularly striking, coming from someone outside the tech industry, and highlight the growing awareness of AI’s transformative potential – and its potential downsides.
“AI will be more impactful and it is going to come faster (than previous technologies). To some degree, it’s an extension of this long trend towards automation, but it’s not now just automating, you know, manufacturing processes or the use of robot arms,” he said.
“We’re now starting to see these models, these platforms, be able to perform really high-level – what we considered to be really high-level – intellectual work. So already the current models of AI, they can code better than – let’s call it 60, 70% of coders.”
He continued: “Now we’re talking highly skilled jobs that pay really good salaries and, up until recently, has been entirely a seller’s market in Silicon Valley. A lot of that work is going to go away. The best coders will be able to use these tools to augment what they already do, but for a lot of routine stuff, you just won’t need a coder because the computer or the machine will do it itself.” He further suggested that this pattern “is going to duplicate itself across professions.”
“So it may be that everybody now – not just blue-collar workers, not just factory workers – are going to have to figure out, you know, where do I get a job? How do I get enough income to feed my family? All of us will be facing some questions about: we’re producing a lot of stuff – how do we distribute it, and what’s fair and what’s not, and how do we get purpose and meaning in our lives?”
Obama’s assessment paints a concerning picture of the future job market. If AI can truly outperform a substantial portion of coders today, the implications are vast. While some highly skilled professionals will likely leverage AI to enhance their productivity, many others risk displacement. This displacement won’t be limited to coding. As Obama pointed out, the same dynamic could unfold across numerous other white-collar professions, potentially leading to widespread economic disruption. His concerns echo those of many experts who are calling for proactive measures to address the potential societal challenges posed by rapid advancements in AI. The need for retraining and upskilling initiatives, alongside discussions around social safety nets becomes even more critical in light of this potential shift. The question of how we find purpose and meaning in a world increasingly automated remains a significant societal challenge that everyone from CEOs to politicians is now voicing.