post secondary route as an aspiring game dev? Worried about AI
Posted by jason9games@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 7 comments
I’m an aspiring creative who just loves to create things in the game world, 3d art, coding, sound design and other stuff. I plan on going to post secondary and getting a degree in computer science or something of that nature and taking 3d art and other option courses that fill credits and also just help me learn. I am looking for some input on my plans as by the time I’ve got my degree or what ever I do I am worried that AI will have taken over that field specifically coding because that would probably be my major and the thing I can fall back onto out side of video game stuff. Is there other things I could major in that allow me to enter the video game development field why giving me a safety net for later?
Appropriate-Rip9525@reddit
AI wont replace devs, it will replace devs who refuse to use AI.
Adapt with technology
denis_ilin_prog@reddit
AI is a tool for developers, not a replacement. Think of it like an IDE — it didn't replace programmers, it made them faster. Same thing is happening with AI right now. The "AI will replace developers" stuff is just clickbait headlines.
Appropriate-Rip9525@reddit
classical reddit dev comment. AI will never replace people who write very repetititve code all day from a specific set of instructions
Joewoof@reddit
I stopped worrying this year. A lot of predictions from 2 years ago were wrong. Developers aren’t actually replaced by AI. A lot of programmers were fired due to Covid-era over-hiring, and AI-washing was used to fool investors. Research has only shown net +15% productivity increase, and not the 10x boost people thought.
Even as a teacher, on the frontlines of AI-assisted coding, it became obvious very fast that we still need programmers even in the age of AI. Functions in functions in functions. Loops in loops in loops in functions in loops. Some of the most horrifying coding I’ve ever seen, and the projects stopped working very soon. Ten thousand-line if-statement programs that we used to laugh at now looks tame and sensible in comparison.
Having said that, the gaming industry in the West suffered a major crash, and you should be way more worried about that.
I’m also worried about the AI bubble. If it bursts, it’ll take the whole tech industry with it, and that would absolutely tank job opportunities in this field way more than the baseless fear-mongering of AI taking jobs.
CobblerImpressive975@reddit
I'm not sure if that's nearly enough to say AI isn't something to be worried about. Predictions can fail, but overall we have seen AI improve year over year with no real plateau in sight. Considering OP hasn't even started college yet that's 2030 at the earliest that they graduate, and things will certainly look very different then. Given that these AI companies are dead-set on pushing it to the point where it can replace software developers en masse and they have the entire economy supporting them, I would be very wary against pursuing a software-related degree in this day. Convincing young people to "not worry" is hurting them.
OptimalDescription39@reddit
Honestly I get the worry. I'm a designer not a dev, but I see similar panic in my field about AI replacing creatives. So far though, it's just become another tool in the toolbox. The human stuff - taste, storytelling, understanding what actually feels good to play - that's still on us.
I'd say focus on fundamentals and problem solving. AI might write boilerplate code but it can't replace the weird creative thinking you bring. Plus games are so much about feel and iteration. That's hard to automate.
Go for it if it makes you happy. The industry shifts but passionate people always find a way in.
Timely-Transition785@reddit
Your plan is solid, CS + creative skills is actually one of the safest combos right now. AI won’t replace game devs, but it will reward people who can direct it and build real systems, which you’re aiming for anyway. If you want a backup, consider something like software engineering or interactive media, but honestly, staying adaptable matters more than the exact degree.