The compiler was supposed to end programming too

Since the 1950s, new programming tools—from FORTRAN to modern AI agents—have repeatedly promised to eliminate the need for human programmers, yet programming continues to evolve rather than disappear. The article imagines a 2031 scenario where AI agents handle routine coding tasks overnight while programmers focus on decision-making and clarifying business rules, suggesting that automation will change what programmers do rather than end the profession entirely. The author notes this pattern has persisted for over seventy years, with each generation of technology (compilers, assemblers, and now AI agents) overstating its ability to replace human programming work.