Monzo co-founder Tom Blomfield has sparked debate by predicting that AI will soon render software engineering jobs obsolete. In a series of posts on X and a subsequent blog, the Y Combinator partner likened software engineers to "highly-paid farmers" facing the advent of the "combine harvester" of AI coding tools.
He argued that AI is rapidly becoming superior in all aspects of coding, necessitating a re-evaluation of assumptions even by those who dismissed AI coding products just months ago. Blomfield claims to have personally spent significant time using these "astonishing" tools.
He envisions near-future software teams composed entirely of AI agents, initially with human oversight. However, within the next five years, he expects some coding teams to become fully self-directing, making the idea of manual coding seem "quaint," akin to driving classic cars for leisure.
Blomfield believes software engineering is merely the "canary in the coal mine," predicting similar AI-driven job displacement for professions like doctors, lawyers, accountants, auditors, and architects.
While optimistic about AI's potential to cure diseases and extend lifespans, he expresses serious concerns about the profound short-term impact on hundreds of millions of people and a lack of preparedness for this shift.
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