AI now writes 25% of code in the US: Should Computer Science students rethink their career plans?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a computer scientist/software engineer. I use AI to write my code daily. It doesn't write itself though. You have to know how to craft a prompt and check its work. It types out what I know how to do and can tell it to do in a prompt, but you have to explain to it what to do.
Software Engineers have been using copy/paste off of Stack Exchange for years. This speeds up that process and just prints out the code.
Computer Science isn't going away. We still need new software engineers, maybe more. They need to learn how to craft prompts and use AI to help them program faster and more efficiently.
It seems like the same people worrying about this are the people who thought all cashiers at McDonalds were going to be fired because a kiosk showed up. You either learn how to use technology to enhance and assist you in your career or you become a dinosaur.
CS majors will be the ones who are learning in college what those of us in the field already are learning on the job.

We aren't all going to be obsolete.

The entire clerical support staff was eliminated at my Federal Agency when we got rid of paper and all filings became electronic.

Jobs can become obsolete.

Well yes…there are 95% fewer travel agents today vs pre-Internet.

You have to believe new jobs will be created from all the new technology.

Sure. That’s the point. They won’t be in coding and it’s predicted liberal arts degrees will be way more valuable.

Nobody is predicting that. Nobody actually know how this will all play out.

Did you not see how AI as we speak is impacting creative fields, PR, etc.?

What jobs exactly will be hot for liberal arts majors (which includes Math, physics and other STEM BTW)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a computer scientist/software engineer. I use AI to write my code daily. It doesn't write itself though. You have to know how to craft a prompt and check its work. It types out what I know how to do and can tell it to do in a prompt, but you have to explain to it what to do.
Software Engineers have been using copy/paste off of Stack Exchange for years. This speeds up that process and just prints out the code.
Computer Science isn't going away. We still need new software engineers, maybe more. They need to learn how to craft prompts and use AI to help them program faster and more efficiently.
It seems like the same people worrying about this are the people who thought all cashiers at McDonalds were going to be fired because a kiosk showed up. You either learn how to use technology to enhance and assist you in your career or you become a dinosaur.
CS majors will be the ones who are learning in college what those of us in the field already are learning on the job.

We aren't all going to be obsolete.

The entire clerical support staff was eliminated at my Federal Agency when we got rid of paper and all filings became electronic.

Jobs can become obsolete.

Well yes…there are 95% fewer travel agents today vs pre-Internet.

You have to believe new jobs will be created from all the new technology.

Sure. That’s the point. They won’t be in coding and it’s predicted liberal arts degrees will be way more valuable.

Why liberal arts degree will be more valuable?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a computer scientist/software engineer. I use AI to write my code daily. It doesn't write itself though. You have to know how to craft a prompt and check its work. It types out what I know how to do and can tell it to do in a prompt, but you have to explain to it what to do.
Software Engineers have been using copy/paste off of Stack Exchange for years. This speeds up that process and just prints out the code.
Computer Science isn't going away. We still need new software engineers, maybe more. They need to learn how to craft prompts and use AI to help them program faster and more efficiently.
It seems like the same people worrying about this are the people who thought all cashiers at McDonalds were going to be fired because a kiosk showed up. You either learn how to use technology to enhance and assist you in your career or you become a dinosaur.
CS majors will be the ones who are learning in college what those of us in the field already are learning on the job.

We aren't all going to be obsolete.

The entire clerical support staff was eliminated at my Federal Agency when we got rid of paper and all filings became electronic.

Jobs can become obsolete.

Well yes…there are 95% fewer travel agents today vs pre-Internet.

You have to believe new jobs will be created from all the new technology.

Sure. That’s the point. They won’t be in coding and it’s predicted liberal arts degrees will be way more valuable.

Nobody is predicting that. Nobody actually know how this will all play out.

Did you not see how AI as we speak is impacting creative fields, PR, etc.?

What jobs exactly will be hot for liberal arts majors (which includes Math, physics and other STEM BTW)?

For the past many decades, those with just an undergrad in physics have a hard time finding a job. You need a PhD do go anywhere with a physics degree. My cousin found this out the hard way, even though they went to a public ivy.

Similar for bio and chem. Hard to get a decent paying job with just an undergrad in those fields. A lot of math majors end up doing CS, finance, and if you did stats, then actuary.

AI has gutted HR teams. And there are other non tech industries that will also be impacted.

[Anonymous]

Bookkeeping, financial modeling, basic data analysis, paralegal work, contract drafting, legal research, graphic design, copywriting, and basic journalism -- all at risk to AI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a concern for us. Our DS is in his 2nd year doing CS at Perdue.

Doubtful if you can’t even spell Purdue

[Anonymous]

CS majors will be fine.

Now go read a poem or something.

[Anonymous]

No college degree guarantees a career. If you want such a career guarantee, enter a trade apprenticeship.

[Anonymous]

AI taking all white collar jobs just like robotics took blue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And who writes the AI code?

No one answered this. I guess AI is self replicating. We’re surely doomed, then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And who writes the AI code?

No one answered this. I guess AI is self replicating. We’re surely doomed, then.

People seem to think AI is literally a robot who can make up its own tasks and code itself.

Entry level coding can be done by a CS who knows how to “craft prompts” and check work. I mean, Big Balls and DOGE knew how to code and use AI but they didn’t know how to understand data or craft the prompts well enough to not crash systems and disrupt agencies.

Tell your child to major in what makes them happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And who writes the AI code?

No one answered this. I guess AI is self replicating. We’re surely doomed, then.

AI writes itself

https://sakana.ai/dgm/

[Anonymous]

If you love it and it's your passion then you will find a way to rise to the top and architect and orchestrate the AI augmented teams. But base level coding is very much going to be automated by the time these kids graduate. My software teams are doing things in 2 hours that used to take 2 weeks and the quality is fantastic. Within a year or 2, I think it will be capable of being a senior software engineer. My kid is a CS major - a senior - but he absolutely loves it so it was still the right path for him, but anyone going in it thinking easy path to good paying jobs should rethink. What AI is doing is mind blowing.

[Anonymous]

Not sure how it will play out. I know that businesses have over the years become averse to taking on software development due to the perceived costs, and will accept worse solutions, even if they're expensive, if they can have something sooner than later. I find the idea that AI will create a renewed appetite for custom software development plausible. I think we will probably see a depression in the jobs market for SWE's before that happens though.

I write cloud applications and have generally been pretty dismissive of AI until recently. Claude Code is great and i'm able to eliminate an entire range of busy body tasks. I'm also able to think more about churning out better software. If AI can accelerate my output 30% I might take some of that back implementing higher performing solutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think students who love CS should major in it. Those who were doing so only for a high paying career (or because their parents were forcing it) should not. There will always be CS jobs, just not as many if the lower level coding types of jobs.

This begs the question: if there are many fewer entry-level coding jobs, how will new entrants start this career path?

This will be true for other types of jobs as well. Supposedly entry level jobs in business will be disappearing soon, but again, how do you then develop mature talent, and the ability to interact with clients and co-workers?