Computer science professor Carson Gross, writing in his essay 'Yes, and...' on the htmx website, responds to frequent questions from students, relatives, and friends about whether one should still pursue a career in computer programming given advances in artificial intelligence. He answers with a qualified 'Yes, and…', arguing that the core of programming—solving problems with computers and learning to control the complexity of those solutions—will remain valuable, making programming a viable career even as AI tools become more prevalent.
Gross warns that using AI to generate code without writing it oneself deprives learners of the visceral understanding that comes from hands‑on coding and impairs the ability to read code, potentially leading into what he calls the Sorcerer’s Apprentice Trap of building systems they do not comprehend or control. He notes that, unlike compilers which produce deterministic output, current large language models can yield unpredictable code that often fails to eliminate—and may even introduce—accidental complexity, so students must write the code themselves to truly learn.
Looking ahead, Gross suggests that while the act of writing raw code may lose relative importance, other skills will rise in value: the ability to communicate clearly with both humans and LLMs, understanding the business or domain being programmed for, and software architecture—the talent to organize large systems and control their complexity. He advises junior programmers to resist the temptation to 'vibe code' and instead write code to build intuition, urges companies to let juniors write at least some of the code, and observes that the present downturn in the programmer job market is likely temporary, recommending that job seekers lean on personal connections such as family and friends to find opportunities.