I'm torn. The rise of python did massively increase the accessibility of programming, but it simultaneously tied much of the industry to one of the most poorly designed languages still in use. Simultaneously, the low barrier has created an ecosystem of poorly designed, yet de-facto packages. I'm not convinced it sped up long term progress, even if there's a lot more "code" out there.
I worry AI will do the same. Even less thoughtful programmers will beat the community to this or that package, quickly get taken up, leaving ever more tenacious code tumors.
I understand your concerns, but I see a positive side to this evolution. While increased accessibility can lead to an influx of less polished code, it also brings diverse perspectives and innovations that might not have emerged otherwise. With AI, we have an opportunity to enhance productivity and assist developers in writing better code by automating routine tasks and catching errors early. If we focus on mentoring and setting strong standards, we can harness these tools to improve overall code quality rather than detract from it.
I worry AI will do the same. Even less thoughtful programmers will beat the community to this or that package, quickly get taken up, leaving ever more tenacious code tumors.