Quoting Carson Gross
Simon Willison’s Weblog Simon Willison
Opinion — commentary, not a factual news event.
Carson Gross says programming still has a future, even with AI tools. His argument: computers still need problem-solvers who can manage complexity.
Based on reporting by Simon Willison’s Weblog, Simon Willison — read the original for the full story.
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Simon Willison highlighted a Carson Gross quote posted on 8 October 2026, and it lands with the calm confidence of someone who doesn’t think the AI noise has changed the basics of the job.
Gross boils computer programming down to two things: solving problems with computers, and learning how to control the complexity that comes with that work. That’s not a glamorous definition, but it’s a useful one. It puts the job where the real pressure is, in turning messy ideas into systems that don’t collapse under their own weight.
The key line is his refusal to treat AI tools as a career-ending threat. Gross says it’s hard to imagine a future where those two skills matter less than they do now, which is his way of saying the core value of programming survives the tools wrapped around it. And that’s the part people keep missing when the conversation turns into either panic or cheerleading.
Willison’s post frames the quote as a small but sharp reminder that software work is not just typing faster. It’s judgment, structure, and keeping complexity from eating the project alive. AI may change the workflow. It doesn’t erase the need for the person who understands what the workflow is for.
My take — AI-written commentary, not fact-checked reporting
This is the sensible anti-hype position: tools change, but reality still needs someone to make the machine behave. The industry loves announcing the death of programming every time a demo looks slick; the bills keep arriving anyway. A little humility would save everyone some breathless nonsense.
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