By using AI tools, I have grown more confident in areas that once seemed out of reach. One example is hardware hacking. As a software developer, I am used to writing code, but I have not spent much time dealing with electronics or circuit boards. In the past, I found hardware projects intimidating. Despite being technically minded, I struggled to get past the initial learning curve and often gave up.
With AI assistance, I can tackle hardware hacking more effectively. These tools guide me through unfamiliar tasks, point out common pitfalls, and help me debug problems. With their support, I have started to build basic circuits and experiment with microcontrollers. It feels like my baseline skills have improved, and projects that used to be too hard are now within reach.
However, technology never stands still. Experienced hardware experts will keep pushing the boundaries, leading to more advanced devices, methods, and standards. That means I will still be behind those at the cutting edge. The same thing happens in software: people new to the field can build apps with the help of modern tools, but they may lack the deeper knowledge needed to create robust, scalable products. Tools raise everyone’s baseline skill level, but the highest levels of expertise also move further ahead.
Even though my skills have improved, the bar keeps rising due to this technological shift affecting everyone. In this moment, I feel like a more capable generalist, but I have a feeling over time I'll actually revert back to having to be that much more of a specialist. The AI assistants may still be "assistants" to the specialists, but will actually replace the generalists — including myself in hardware.
This is in a world where artificial intelligence progresses by leaps and bounds, but artificial general intelligence is a matter of diminishing returns — where progress continues, but the pace of breakthrough slows down. Things change a lot every year, but we don't hit the acceleration phase at any point. This seems like the most likely scenario to consider.
Will replacing the generalists mean the tools are so sophisticated that the thing I want can be created at my whim now? I have a feeling this still isn't what happens next. There is still a complexity-oriented gate keeping, and it may actually get worse.
Author Of article : Ben Halpern Read full article
