Martin Fowler
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Fragments: October 4
The evolution of software development is shifting from deterministic "building" to nurturing inferential systems like LLMs. This change, likened to forgetting the superego while shipping the id, introduces unpredictable behaviors, unlike traditional engineered systems. The movie Forbidden Planet serves as a relevant cautionary tale about uncontrolled thinking machines. The legal troubles of Ola Bini, deported from Ecuador on grounds of national security, highlight the potential for opaque accusations. A recent interview with Eric Evans and the author discusses how generative AI might liberate programming, fostering a renewed love for the craft. They emphasize agile planning's suitability for navigating AI-induced uncertainty and the iterative nature of human-LLM interaction. Paul Graham notes that many systems relied on human operational limits, which are now being challenged by AI. The role of code is evolving; Geoffrey Huntley suggests the goal is no longer human readability but a conceptual model understandable by LLMs. Sam Ruby discusses how code's representation might shift to machine-readable formats, questioning what we retain as the source of truth. He argues for higher-level languages as a compact, precise specification for AI agents. Unmesh Joshi posits that coding's dual purpose of machine instruction and problem domain modeling is becoming more critical. The focus shifts to crafting better conceptual models and vocabularies, essential for both humans and LLMs. Sam also draws a parallel to the parable of the blind men and the elephant regarding AI agent capabilities. Investors are concerned about AI companies, with The Economist noting the risk of products leading to their own downfall. Finally, recent LLM hallucination rates are discussed, with Gemini 4 Argon showing promise by admitting when it doesn't know rather than fabricating information.