> Unlike software, there is no machine that can do the type of woodworking you describe.

A CNC?

> Conversely, my own experience shows that even with context window limitations, ChatGPT is already better than 90% of working software engineers for generating small practical programs.

Well if we're doing anecdotal experiences, I find ChatGPT (both with 3.5 and 4) useful for replacing quick search queries to look up documentation but for anything more complex than that and it quickly starts making up blatantly incorrect examples even for small programs making it more than useless most of the time for me at least. But you're welcome to disagree; I don't have the energy anymore to get into my 1000th internet discussion full of anecdotal evidence trying to validate the future merits of generative AI for software engineering purposes.