(09-15-2024, 10:41 AM)MarleyJag Wrote:

(09-15-2024, 10:02 AM)EricC85 Wrote: Oldest is a senior this year so we’re talking after high school plans hardcore. He seems interested in computer stuff, kids always been a little smarter than me on computers, so I’m trying to guide him but we are beyond my knowledge. 

I’ve talked to lots of computer people that are out of work because of AI, is there any future in that field as AI improves? 

Is some college worth it in that field or is at all experience?

"Computer stuff" covers a very wide gamut. It depends on what field he might be interested in. I was in IT as a software developer before I retired so my perspective is going to be skewed towards that. I can tell you though that the industry (especially on the tech side as opposed to tech support or management) is constantly evolving and changing. I had to completely re-invent myself about once a decade and spent an entire career in between learning new things. I was hearing as far back as the early 1990s that software development was going to disappear for one reason or another. While the industry has gone through some ups and downs, by and large it's as strong as ever. Will AI impact that? Most definitely. In what form will that take? If I could tell you that, I'd be able to make a lot of $$$. ;-)

I think "knowledge experts" will always be important. AI will get better as you say and the more mundane tasks like writing simple repetitive code or manually overseeing testing of systems may decrease in importance. On the other hand, data analysis and systems integration may become more critical. The best advice I'd have is to become an expert in a general field but not specialize in any one particular aspect of it (especially an aspect that focuses on a particular hot tech of the moment). For example, learning Rust or Haskell might be a great idea but it's not necessarily wise to build your career on JUST one of those tools. It's better to understand the fundamentals and ideas behind a particular field you might be working in.

Hope that helps a little.