AI and the timeless fear of technological replacement

The author reflects on their great-great-grandfather, a farrier who transitioned to being a mechanic as cars replaced horses. This personal story serves as a metaphor for modern developers’ anxieties about AI. The author argues that while AI is often portrayed as an unprecedented revolution, historical parallels exist. The key takeaway is that purpose often outlasts the specific technology used to achieve it. Developers should focus on the ‘why’—problem-solving and creation—rather than the ‘how’—coding itself.