I have the extremely fortunate scenario of watching my wife just begin a computer science degree now, with no prior experience programming whatsoever. This is not hyperbole: ChatGPT is an absolute game-changer when it comes to getting through the basics.
It is simply far, far easier for a newbie to see a computer generate 1 / 3 / 5 slightly-different attempts to solve a specific problem they have, and then to pattern match sufficiently to be able to solve the problem themselves, than it is to muddle around by yourself with it for hours and hours with no end in sight.
I thought she would have to ask me, someone who has been slinging Python in some form since 2008, a question at least once a week. In reality it's been about 3 times over the last 9 months.
ChatGPT doesn't do much for experienced SWEs, but it demolishes the difficulty curve for newbies. I wish I had this when I was learning.
It is simply far, far easier for a newbie to see a computer generate 1 / 3 / 5 slightly-different attempts to solve a specific problem they have, and then to pattern match sufficiently to be able to solve the problem themselves, than it is to muddle around by yourself with it for hours and hours with no end in sight.
I thought she would have to ask me, someone who has been slinging Python in some form since 2008, a question at least once a week. In reality it's been about 3 times over the last 9 months.
ChatGPT doesn't do much for experienced SWEs, but it demolishes the difficulty curve for newbies. I wish I had this when I was learning.