HACKER Q&A
📣 atleastoptimal

Will it be better to be a specialist or generalist in the age of AI?


Currently I am unemployed SE, and seeking a job, but also very wary of the changes occurring in the space. I know the field won't be recognizable in 5 years from what it is now, so I'm looking to get myself back on my feet while also preparing optimally for the coming changes in the landscape, and how that bodes for certain ranges of skill.

One one side, most AI LLMs seem superhuman on easy entry level programming tasks, but increasingly falter as the complexity increases. This seems to indicate those best shielded against AI will be the very niche specialists capable of solving very hard, specific problems

On the other hand, AI tends to perform better when tasked to solve more specific problems, and more general, abstract problems that humans are better at tend to be harder to crack. This seems to indicate a generalist approach will offer humans a greater competitive advantage.

Which makes more sense? And of course, if the advent of AGI were to occur in that timeframe, either aim would be irrelevant.

  👤 ZoomZoomZoom Accepted Answer ✓
Here's a few thoughts on exactly this topic:

The Mediocre Human Glue: generalists in the age of LLMs https://indiscipline.github.io/post/the-mediocre-human-glue/

👤 gregjor
Specialist and generalist don’t describe something you can “be.” Think in terms of skills that will likely have value over some long term. I don’t think AI will eliminate all programmers, system admins, security experts, database administrators. AI won’t have deep domain expertise.

As future LLMs train on piles of content generated by previous iterations their abilities will revert to the mean, making them no more competent than a mediocre human.

Instead of worrying about what to “be” or what might happen with AI in the future, concentrate on developing valuable skills you can put to use now. Experience and domain knowledge will continue to count for something.

👤 1970-01-01
>Which makes more sense?

Both make sense. Which path do you want to pursue?