Carson Gross on Why Programming Remains a Viable Career in the AI Era

Carson Gross, creator of htmx, argued that programming will remain a viable career despite the rise of AI tools. He emphasizes that the core of programming lies in problem-solving and managing complexity, skills that will not lose value. As generative AI raises concerns about automated code generation replacing software engineers, this perspective re-centers the profession on high-level problem-solving and software architecture. It offers a reassuring, fundamentals-focused viewpoint for developers navigating the evolving AI landscape. Gross breaks down computer programming into two fundamental pillars: solving problems using computers and learning to control complexity while doing so. He contends that AI tools will not diminish the intrinsic value of these two core skills.