The article critiques the impact of large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT on software development. It echoes previous concerns about technology diminishing critical thinking, noting that developers often rely on LLMs for coding assistance. Peter Nixey raises the existential question of knowledge pooling versus direct input into LLMs, suggesting that this shift could erode community wisdom found in forums like Stack Overflow. As LLMs draw data from these sources, the potential for diminished engagement and knowledge sharing is becoming apparent.
Years ago Nicholas Carr argued that Google was making us stupid, that ease of access to information was shortening our attention spans and generally making it hard for us to do "deep reading."
Peter Nixey, founder of Intentional.io and a top 2% contributor to Stack Overflow, calls out an existential question plaguing LLMs: "What happens when we stop pooling our knowledge with each other and instead pour it straight into The Machine?"
ChatGPT and other LLMs have become "smart" by sucking in all that information from sites like Stack Overflow, but that source is quickly drying up.
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