Ask HN: If AGI hypothetically brings us utopia, would you still code?

1 points by jskulski 3 years ago | 3 comments

Hypothetically, if AGI emerges and can generate code well enough so that software development is no longer a lucrative job. Let's say society adjusts, you adjust, and it goes really well. AGI is nice and gives us a life of ease with enough roofs and food to eat for everyone. You get to choose what to do with your days, everyday:

Would you still code? If so, what would you make?

I'll answer in the comments, but after thinking about this future, I kinda hope it happens. C'mon ChatGPT!

jskulski 3 years ago |

My answer is I would. I enjoy the process and at this point, is my most reliable way to the flow state. I am more motivated by the process and the learning of making than I am about finished products.

I have a couple of projects that I day dream about but are an unrealistic size for me while working:

1. Turning my emacs configuration into a electron app is a project that nobody needs but I want to build.

2. As much as I can, bring a lisp REPL experience to the python world. (or maybe I could just use clojure for the other projects.)

3. Apps and software for accessibility (including tools for the neurodivergent)

And I'd continue to spend time prototyping software to learn how it works and building developer tools.

Curious about other's choices, what would you choose?

thesuperbigfrog 3 years ago |

Yes.

If AGI emerges, I would start preparing for the Butlerian Jihad (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dune_(franchise)#The_Butlerian...).

If we give up our thinking to AGI, then it is only a matter of time before it rules us. We must continue to develop our minds and coding is a fun way to do so.

surprisetalk 3 years ago |

I love building things, so I'll continue to build things. I'll probably use AI to do "grunt work".

Writing code feels like "grunt work" when I really want my idea to exist as quickly as possible.

But sometimes writing code is the entire point! There's a simple pleasure in making something feel "clean". I suspect that editing code generated by AI will scratch this itch for me.