Devaluation of Work (assertfail.gewalli.se)

A growing concern within the AI/ML community is the perceived devaluation of software development work as developers increasingly rely on large language model (LLM) generated code. Feedback from multiple developers indicates that while LLMs can produce visually appealing code, this focus on aesthetics often leads to overlooking crucial aspects of functionality and maintainability. As a consequence, software that is difficult to read and understand risks becoming “instant legacy software,” complicating long-term maintenance and development. The implications of this trend are significant, suggesting a potential disruption in traditional software development processes. Developers may mistakenly believe they are working faster due to LLM assistance, but evidence points to slower overall productivity and a growing comprehension gap due to a shift from coding to merely reading and reviewing unfamiliar machine-generated code. This shift could fundamentally change software development culture, echoing past transitions such as the rise of code reviews. Ultimately, if the software delivery pipeline prioritizes speed and volume over quality and comprehensibility, industry professionals may bear the brunt of any ensuing problems.