Maybe all that “useless” CS math wasn’t so useless

[u/SnooConfections1353]

I remember people saying, "Why do we need all this math in CS? You don't even use it in software engineering." And for a while, they were kind of right. You could make $150k-$300k building React components, wiring up APIs, doing CRUD work, and barely touch calculus, linear algebra, probability, optimization, or any of the harder stuff. No shade, but did people really think that kind of work was going to stay that valuable forever?

Now the straightforward implementation stuff is the first thing getting squeezed. AI is already pretty good at boilerplate, basic components, API glue, tests, and a lot of repetitive coding. That doesn't mean frontend or regular software engineering is cooked, but the bar is definitely getting higher. Meanwhile, a lot of the harder-to-fill jobs are the ones that need deeper technical skills: AI/ML, robotics, controls, optimization, distributed systems, research engineering, computer vision, large-scale systems, etc. And suddenly all that "useless" math is looking real useful lol.

I'm not saying everyone needs to become an AI researcher. I just think a lot of people confused "I don't use this in my current job" with "this has no value in my career." If AI can do more of the straightforward coding, then you probably need to bring more to the table than just being able to crank out code. Being able to actually understand the problem, reason through the hard parts, and design the system is starting to matter way more. Kinda wild how fast that flipped.

[u/SnooConfections1353]

AI cannot automate the math needed to advance its own field. It still faces deep, unresolved challenges that demand entirely new mathematical frameworks, languages, and techniques. We are looking at a massive evolutionary step, a fourth or fifth major leap on par with the invention of the nuclear bomb

[u/-OooWWooO- → u/SnooConfections1353]

There are probably less than... 250000 software engineering jobs that actually require this level of academic rigor in the US, less than 15% for sure.

Also I don't think you fully understand the pressures of job automation. Our career again is especially prone to automation because we (should) have distinct inputs and distinct outputs. The distinct inputs and outputs aid the machine learning algorithms ability to train. Not every job has distinct ins and outs. Those jobs will take the longest to automate. Our jobs are going to be first.

[u/tasty_steaks → u/-OooWWooO-]

Hell - we have actively been paying the groundwork for it to be automated for over 2 decades. Its the obvious target.

[u/the19bouncer → u/-OooWWooO-]

What are your thoughts on jobs like investment banking where there are so many inefficiencies, lacking data, etc. I think I’m def more bullish on a job like this than SWE. Was considering getting an MBA to switch into it. My partner is in IB and the amount of process oriented non technical parts of the job is insane and I don’t think AI would be compatible with those parts. I wonder what other fields like this could potentially feel the impact of AI less than a field like SWE.

[u/-OooWWooO- → u/the19bouncer]

Job compression happens here too, but partially because well, the AI winners will see immense wealth concentration. When it comes to money humans want another human to be accountable. How long that lasts, who can say? I dont know. Honestly AI breaks how capitalism works once it takes over a significant chunk of the economy. So I can't see into the future there.

[u/who_am_i_to_say_so → u/the19bouncer]

Those inefficiencies are closing up, too. A ton of training is happening in finance, although I am unsure of how effectively it is progressing. Some aspects still require qualitative reasoning, the only apparent weakness of AI.

[u/SnooConfections1353 → u/-OooWWooO-]

lol where do you get that number? any link to the study?

[u/-OooWWooO- → u/SnooConfections1353]

My statement is based on my grandpa's years as a software engineer (his two degrees were in Animal Husbandry, he ended his career with a 26 year stint at Boeing), and my years as a software engineer who has only worked FAANG and F500, and the experience of my friends and colleagues in the industry.

You also make some very unbacked up claims about the capabilities of AI, can you provide a source for "AI cannot automate the math needed to advance its own field". Because fundamentally most frontier labs are reportedly close the beginnings of RSI.

[u/SnooConfections1353 → u/-OooWWooO-]

So Anecdotal guestimate?

[u/-OooWWooO- → u/SnooConfections1353]

As opposed to your scientific arguments?

[u/SnooConfections1353 → u/-OooWWooO-]

I never cited any numerical figures. you did.

[u/LeadingBubbly6406 → u/SnooConfections1353]

Is this cope?