Demo of an OpenAI language model applied to code generation [video]
So that's basically program synthesis from natural language (ish)
specifications (i.e. the comments).I can see this being a useful tool [1]. However, I don't expect any ability
for innovation. At best this is like having an exceptionally smart
autocomplete function that can look up code snippets on SO for you (provided
those code snippets are no longer than one line).That's not to say that it can't write new code, that nobody has quite
written before in the same way. But in order for a tool like this to be useful
it must stick as close as possible to what is expected- or it will slow
development down rather than helping it. Which means it can only do what has
already been done before.For instance- don't expect this to come up with a new sorting algorithm, out
of the blue, or to be able to write good code to solve a certain problem when
the majority of code solving that problem on github happens to be pretty bad.In other words: everyone can relax. This will not take your job. Or mine.____________[1] I apologise to the people who know me and who will now be falling off
their chairs. OK down there?