Tech giants blame AI for replacing devs, forgetting it's just cover for their $500k salary regrets after the cheap money binge

A seasoned software developer with 14 years of experience is pushing back against the notion that AI will replace software developers, a claim often made on LinkedIn. Despite AI being developed by software engineers, the narrative around AI replacing developers has gained traction. However, this shift is not due to AI's capabilities, which have been evolving gradually since Google started working on AI over 20 years ago, but rather a change in narrative. The introduction of ChatGPT made AI more conversational and accessible, leading to increased visibility among non-technical people. Companies like Google, Amazon, and Facebook have been using AI for years, with applications like Google Translate, Google Photos, and Siri. The current decline in software engineering demand is attributed to the end of the cheap money era, over-hiring, and companies seeking to reduce compensation, rather than AI replacing developers. As the AI bubble bursts, the market will correct, and demand for skilled software developers will rise again, with companies like WordPress and OpenAI continuing to rely on human engineers to maintain and improve their systems.