With the emergence of Devin, has coding become obsolete?

The job landscape has changed over the last century due to technological improvements. Robots are replacing humans in tasks that they once held, such as factories and farms. Every generation eventually experienced job losses due to automation. It is said that learning Python is the language to do so, and that coding is the new literacy. Devin, however, entered the picture just as I was beginning to believe that we had a bright future.

Not just any AI, but Devin is regarded as the pioneer AI software engineer. With terminals, browsers, and code editors at his disposal, Devin is capable of handling issues like a true software engineer. Understanding the requirements is the first step, after which it looks up answers online, develops code, runs it, fixes mistakes, and so on until the issue is resolved.

Devin is a far cry from its forerunners, such as GPT-4 and GitHub Copilot. Devin displays an outstanding 13.86% success rate on the GitHub Benchmark, while GPT-4 can only complete tasks 1.74% of the time. Does this, however, make software engineers who are humans obsolete?

Not exactly. Although Devin is capable of amazing things right now, human creativity cannot yet be fully replaced by technology. But a major change could occur in the future. Envision a scenario where Devin and its equivalents operate concurrently, producing results faster than our comprehension. For experienced software programmers, it's a frightening idea.

There is, nevertheless, some hope despite the threat of automation. Some futurists think that because of the advancements in artificial intelligence, everyone will be able to program. The "Firship Pill," a gene therapy that enhances coding performance, offers a drastic remedy that could prevent coding from becoming obsolete. Its adverse effects are not for the weak of heart, though.

So, is there any use for coding anymore? Not at this time. However, Devin's ascension forces us to consider what the future of labor holds. Does learning to code make sense? It's a complex answer. AI has the potential to completely transform the software development industry, but human ingenuity and problem-solving abilities will always be highly valued. One thing is for sure, as we forge ahead on this technological frontier: machines will write the code of the future. Perhaps in the future, Devin won't be a danger to our careers but rather our reliable coding partner.

In summary, although automation is rapidly approaching, the creative spirit of people never goes away. At this critical juncture in history, let us seize the potential presented by artificial intelligence (AI) while preserving the fundamental qualities that make us distinctively human. I appreciate your participation in this investigation into Devin and the direction of the coding. Happy coding until next time!