The Future of Programming

Summary

In this humorous critique, the speaker dives into the quirks of Mir, a new AI-powered programming language designed for developers. While Mir aims to simplify coding by generating JavaScript from function signatures and examples, it ends up creating more confusion than convenience. The speaker highlights the AI's struggles with syntax, bugs, and mismatched logic, ultimately questioning the over-reliance on AI in software development. With a mix of sarcasm and insight, the speaker argues that mastering traditional coding skills remains invaluable, even in a future dominated by AI.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mir is a new programming language designed for AI, with a focus on simplifying development through AI-assisted code generation.
• 🤖 The language uses a test-driven development (TDD) approach, but without explicit test writing—just examples and function signatures.
• 💻 The Mir language specification is complex, with confusing syntax and behavior, particularly around data types like 'lists' and 'malformed dicks.'
• 🔧 Despite frustrations with Mir's output, the speaker attempts to fix errors manually, reflecting the trial-and-error nature of working with an AI-powered language.
• 🧠 The speaker speculates that Mir was likely influenced or even generated by AI, given its unconventional specification and bugs.
• 💥 The speaker contrasts their experience with Mir with using GPT, which quickly and accurately solved the problem they were working on.
• 😅 The speaker humorously criticizes the inefficiency of Mir’s AI-powered code generation, noting that it produces incorrect results despite providing sufficient examples.
• 🛠️ There is a deeper reflection on the importance of learning core programming skills, even in a future dominated by AI tools.
• 🔮 The speaker questions why AI companies would sell powerful tools that can generate anything, suggesting that such tools would give them an unbeatable competitive advantage.
• 💡 The overall takeaway is that technical skills are still valuable, and learning to code is beneficial, regardless of how advanced AI becomes in the future.

Q & A

What is the primary purpose of the new programming language 'Mir' as discussed in the transcript?

Mir is designed to be a programming language tailored for AI development. Its unique feature is the use of examples rather than traditional code, aiming to create an AI-powered functional programming experience.

What programming language does Mir ultimately produce, and why is this significant?

Mir generates JavaScript code, which is significant because it suggests that despite being a new language designed for AI, it defaults to JavaScript—likely because of JavaScript's versatility and widespread use in web development.

What is the problem with the specification of Mir as described in the transcript?

The specification of Mir is chaotic and difficult to understand. The transcript highlights issues like bizarre syntax (e.g., malformed 'dicks' in the data structure) and unclear definitions, making the language frustrating to work with.

What was the author’s experience when trying to implement an AABB collision check using Mir?

The author struggled to implement an AABB (Axis-Aligned Bounding Box) collision check, as Mir generated incorrect code despite multiple attempts and providing more examples. The code produced was functionally flawed and did not meet expectations.

How did the author eventually solve the problem after struggling with Mir?

After wasting several hours trying to fix the Mir-generated code, the author turned to GPT, providing it with a simple English prompt and getting the correct solution in a single attempt. This contrasted sharply with the frustrating experience of using Mir.

What critique does the author have about AI-driven development tools like Mir?

The author criticizes AI-driven tools like Mir for being inefficient and error-prone. While the tools promise to simplify development, they often lead to more confusion and time spent fixing errors than if the developer simply wrote the code manually.

What is the author's stance on the value of traditional coding skills in the age of AI?

The author believes that traditional coding skills remain essential, even in a future where AI could automate much of development. They argue that understanding the fundamentals of coding allows developers to better use AI tools and remain valuable in the job market.

Why does the author question the commercialization of advanced AI tools like Mir?

The author questions the commercialization of advanced AI tools because, if AI becomes truly powerful, it would be more valuable for companies to keep such technology proprietary rather than selling it. Selling such tools would allow competitors to quickly replicate success, undermining the original creator’s business model.

What metaphor does the author use to describe the flawed experience with Mir?

The author compares using Mir to buying off-brand cereal—while it might look similar to the real thing, it doesn't feel the same or work as expected, highlighting the frustration and disappointment of using Mir.

What overall lesson does the author suggest we learn from the rise of AI programming languages like Mir?

The author suggests that the rise of AI programming languages like Mir highlights the importance of learning core programming skills. Even as AI becomes more integrated into development, traditional skills will always be valuable for problem-solving and innovation.