The Enclosure feedback loop, or how LLMs sabotage existing programming practices by privatizing a public good (michiel.buddingh.eu)

In a thought-provoking blog post, Salvatore Sanfilippo highlights how the rise of large language models (LLMs) as coding assistants could lead to the privatization of public programming knowledge. With the decline of Stack Overflow, developers are increasingly turning to LLMs for solutions, effectively creating a feedback loop where these models improve based on user interactions. This shift means that the vast repository of shared programming knowledge is being redirected to enhance proprietary LLMs, potentially leaving publicly accessible information stagnant and less comprehensive over time. This transformation carries significant implications for the AI/ML community, as it reinforces the dominance of a few major players who control access to cutting-edge coding assistance. As LLMs become essential tools for developers, particularly in environments that require efficiency and speed, there is a risk that salary structures and access to knowledge will become stratified based on location and company affiliation. By eroding public forums and knowledge-sharing practices, the tech community may find itself increasingly reliant on these corporate entities for formerly free resources, raising ethical and accessibility concerns about the future of programming and collaboration in the field.