However, let's take a step back and consider a few basic arguments that this article makes - I suspect most here would only disagree with the very last.
Firstly, the demand for quality software is far greater than the current supply. If there were suddenly twice the number of mid-level software engineers, there would still be more than enough work for them.
Secondly, software engineering is a process that can be refined and created almost entirely without the interference of non-deterministic real-world systems like roads, weather, or courts. This makes it an ideal field for automation and AI to play a larger role.
Thirdly, a sufficiently intelligent computer could exponentially increase its own efficacy in performing purely-digital tasks -- basically an [intelligence explosion](https://www.lesswrong.com/tag/intelligence-explosion) but much softer and much much more achievable (how smart is a mid-level SWE, really?).
Finally, LLMs that get a ~100 on an IQ test are enough to start that cycle.
Perhaps you're super duper convinced that the last point is wrong. Perhaps you have strongly-held convictions about explainability, symbolic reasoning, higher level thinking, etc. But if you really sit down and think, what are the chances you're wrong? What are the chances that we get another leap or two in the next 1-5 years like we just got with DL transformers?
If you're feeling excited and anxious about the implications of this, you're not alone. I've found that it's a difficult topic to discuss with those close to me, especially if they're not familiar with the latest developments in AI. If you have thoughts on how to use our SWE experience to navigate this exciting but uncertain landscape while maintaining a sense of self-preservation and helping others as much as possible, I'd be interested in hearing your ideas.