AI Impact? Programmer Jobs Hit 1980s Low

Alarm bells are ringing in the tech world! Data reveals U.S. computer-programming employment has plummeted to levels unseen since 1980, raising questions about the impact of AI.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey, the decline coincides with the rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Remember the early days of Pac-Man? There are now fewer programming jobs than back then! A Washington Post report highlights a stark contrast: over 300,000 jobs in 1980, a peak of 700,000 during the dot-com boom, and now, roughly half that number.

The AI Factor: Could AI be the culprit? Klarna, a “buy now-pay later” firm, admitted its partnership with OpenAI and a new chatbot effectively replaced 700 employees.

It’s important to distinguish between computer programmers and software developers. While programmer roles face a projected 10% decline by 2033, software development jobs are expected to grow by 17%. Software developers design solutions, while programmers focus on direct coding.

Expert Opinions Diverge: Mark Muro from the Brookings Institution suggests the programmer unemployment jump may be an “early, visible labor market effect of AI.”

AI: Friend or Foe to Coders?

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes AI could handle coding tasks currently done by mid-level engineers. However, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna offers a more optimistic view, arguing that AI will automate simpler tasks, freeing up programmers for more complex work, boosting productivity.

“History has shown that the most productive company gains market share,” Krishna stated at SXSW. He predicts AI will write 20-30% of code, while Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei forecasts potentially up to 90%.

The future for computer programmers may be evolving, not ending. As AI takes on routine tasks, human programmers can focus on higher-level problem-solving and innovation.

Source: Fortune.com