AI can’t replace developers until it understands the office

Column Whenever I read the news these days, I see the same warning to developers: Watch out, AI is going to replace you.

I’m not buying it and wonder why so many have fallen for the trope that the machines’ first target will be those who created the machines? Is it ironic wishful thinking? Or a misunderstanding of what programmers actually do.

I spent the first decade of my career writing code, first assembly language, then C and C++. A lot has changed since I developed software for a…