Is Learning Python Still Worth It In 2024? | Professor's Take

Summary

Despite the hype around new technologies like GPT and AI tools, learning Python remains valuable in 2024, especially for data science and machine learning. Its ease of learning, strong community support, and extensive libraries make it a powerful tool. Fundamental coding skills are still essential, and Python provides a solid foundation to leverage new tools effectively.

Takeaways

• 🤖 Despite the rise of AI tools, learning Python is still valuable due to its versatility and powerful applications, especially in data science and machine learning.
• 🧑‍🏫 The speaker, having experienced several tech hype cycles, suggests that the current AI hype might not be as transformative as it is portrayed.
• 🚗 Past predictions about autonomous vehicles, medical AI, and blockchain replacing traditional systems have often been overstated in terms of their immediate impact.
• 💻 Python is a general-purpose language, not the best for every task, but it excels in machine learning and deep learning, making it a required skill for many data jobs.
• 📚 Python's syntax is designed for readability and ease of use, making it an excellent first programming language to learn.
• 🤔 The speaker emphasizes that programming languages are tools, and the choice of language should be based on the problem being solved, not a lifelong commitment.
• 🔍 Python has a strong community support, with abundant tutorials, training materials, and well-documented packages, which are crucial for learning and debugging.
• 🚀 Python's performance issues, such as its weak runtime and lack of native parallelism, are being addressed through new developments like the Mojo programming language.
• 🌐 The speaker's personal experience with multiple programming languages illustrates that programmers often learn new languages to solve different problems more efficiently.
• 🛠️ New languages and tools are created to increase efficiency and solve specific problems, but they do not replace foundational coding skills; instead, they enhance them.
• 🌟 The fundamentals of coding and problem-solving will always be in demand, and learning Python provides a solid foundation to leverage new tools effectively.

Q & A

Why are people questioning the value of learning Python today?

People are questioning the value of learning Python due to the rise of AI tools and opinions from prominent figures like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who suggests that computing technology should evolve to the point where no one has to program.

What is the speaker's perspective on the hype around AI and its impact on programming?

The speaker believes that the hype around AI is similar to previous tech hype cycles and that the impact is often less dramatic than anticipated. They argue that coding will change but will not become obsolete, and that AI tools are not replacements for foundational coding skills.

What is the speaker's view on the future of coding and AI tools?

The speaker thinks that coding will evolve and change, and people will use different tools in the future. However, they emphasize that foundational coding skills are essential and that AI tools are enhancements rather than replacements for coding.

Why is Python considered a general-purpose language?

Python is a general-purpose language because it has a variety of capabilities, though it is not the best tool for most tasks. It can be used for designing games, web and mobile apps, automating processes, but there are often better-suited tools and languages for these tasks.

What makes Python particularly useful in the field of machine learning and deep learning?

Python is particularly useful in machine learning and deep learning due to its extensive libraries and packages like pandas, numpy, scikit-learn, TensorFlow, and PyTorch, which have no rivals or equivalents in other programming languages.

Why is Python's syntax considered advantageous for beginners?

Python's syntax is advantageous for beginners because it focuses on readability and ease of use, making it a great first language to learn. It allows for quick achievement of tasks, providing positive feedback that motivates learners to continue.

What are the main drawbacks of Python according to the speaker?

The main drawbacks of Python mentioned by the speaker are its weak performance compared to other languages and its lack of native parallelism. Optimizing Python code for runtime or memory performance requires a lot of effort and deep knowledge.

What is Mojo, and how does it aim to address Python's limitations?

Mojo is a new programming language under development that aims to combine the usability of high-level languages like Python with the performance of low-level languages like C and C++. It is being developed to address Python's limitations in performance and parallelism.

How does the speaker's experience with multiple programming languages inform their perspective on learning new languages?

The speaker's experience with multiple programming languages, including Pascal, Basic, C, IDL, Fortran, and Python, shows that one doesn't choose a programming language for life. Languages are tools chosen based on the problem at hand, and learning new languages becomes easier once you are familiar with one.

What is the speaker's final verdict on the relevance of learning Python in 2024?

The speaker concludes that learning Python is still worth it in 2024. Despite the hype around new technologies, Python remains a valuable and powerful tool, especially in data science and machine learning, due to its ease of learning, strong community support, and extensive libraries and resources.