&gt; There is no fundamental principle that suggests most kinds of programming are any less susceptible to automation than any other kind of work<p>Well, as a fundamental principle, there&#x27;s the Halting Problem.<p>The simplest programming tasks will be simplified to some extend or be commoditised. In much of the same way we can purchase website templates and website builders can get the trivial sites up and running with no knowledge. In the past, HTML was required knowledge to publish a blog, but not anymore.<p>But there&#x27;s a reason most professional applications are not developed with such tools. Given that, I expect the careers of programmers that aren&#x27;t IDE-pilots are safe for the foreseeable future.<p>Increasingly complex task will be, and already are, being automated. But so far, all that progress has only increased the programmer&#x27;s leverage.<p>&gt; I guess my point is that there seems to be a meme that extolls the virtues of &quot;learning to code&quot; as an end, rather than as a means to be more effective at something else.<p>I completely agree with that. Outside of IT, there are many areas that would benefit from some programming knowledge and are currently under-served.