Por qué la IA no te va a reemplazar: La 3ª Era de la Ingeniería del Software

The Third Golden Age of Software Engineering

Introduction to the Current State of Software Engineering

• The legendary Grady Booch claims we are in the midst of the Third Golden Age of Software Engineering, as discussed in The Pragmatic Engineer.

• Despite this golden age, there are significant challenges, including malware threats and competition among tech giants like Microsoft and their push for alternative tools.

Major Developments in Technology

• Elon Musk merges SpaceX with xAI to create orbital data centers, aiming to bypass terrestrial limitations.

• France transitions 2.5 million public employees from Teams to an open-source suite, indicating a shift towards more flexible software solutions.

• New York proposes mandatory DRM for 3D printers, raising concerns about maker freedoms and innovation.

Job Market Uncertainty and Automation Predictions

• Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, predicts that software engineering will be largely automated within a year, causing anxiety among professionals regarding job security.

• Grady Booch counters this prediction by emphasizing that we are not at the end of engineering but rather evolving into a new phase.

Understanding the Three Ages of Software Engineering

First Age: Algorithms

• The first golden age began in the 1950s when hardware was expensive and human labor was cheap; it focused on translating mathematical formulas into machine language.

Second Age: Objects

• In the late 1970s, complexity led to the second age characterized by object-oriented programming (OOP), allowing programmers to manage code through classes and objects.

Third Age: Systems

• Booch identifies our current era as one where systems integration is key; developers now utilize extensive libraries and APIs rather than building from scratch.

Evolving Role of Engineers in the Third Age

• Tools like Cursor or Copilot represent natural progressions in this third age; they assist engineers in connecting existing software components rather than replacing them.

• The focus has shifted from writing efficient algorithms to composing secure and ethical systems using various pre-existing components.

Conclusion on Professional Value

• Engineers who can design systems and manage security will remain invaluable; those relying solely on rote syntax may find themselves at risk as automation advances.

OpenClaw: A Double-Edged Sword?

The Rise and Risks of OpenClaw

• OpenClaw is an ambitious open-source project aimed at providing local freedom, but it poses risks if the surrounding system lacks security measures.

• Rapid growth has made OpenClaw a prime target for attackers; initial lack of controls allowed malicious skills to infiltrate ClawHub, turning a productivity tool into an attack vector.

• A critical vulnerability (9.8/10 on vLLM) was confirmed, allowing remote code execution via malicious video URLs sent to servers accepting video input.

Malware Infiltration and Industry Response

• Security researchers identified 414 malware packages uploaded to the marketplace within just six days, with attackers manipulating rankings through bot-driven downloads.

• OpenClaw's default access to file systems means that attackers can gain root-level permissions easily, raising significant security concerns.

Emergency Measures and Limitations

• In response to the crisis, OpenClaw integrated with VirusTotal for enhanced security checks on uploaded skills; this platform aggregates detection engines and uses AI for code behavior analysis.

• If VirusTotal flags a skill as malicious, it gets automatically blocked—this represents a shift in trust towards external systems for validation.

Cloud Security Enhancements

• Major cloud providers like Alibaba and Cloudflare have introduced secure one-click deployments that encourage users to avoid running applications with admin privileges on personal devices.

• These solutions offer isolated environments using Docker containers and preconfigured firewalls but do not guarantee complete security against sophisticated attacks.

Trust Issues in Technology Infrastructure

• Despite these enhancements, vulnerabilities remain; VirusTotal cannot detect prompt injection attacks where an attacker manipulates AI instructions without being flagged as malicious.

Microsoft's Internal Contradictions

Copilot vs. Claude Code: An Internal Dilemma

• Microsoft publicly promotes GitHub Copilot as essential while internally instructing engineers to use competitor Anthropic’s Claude Code for complex tasks due to its superior performance in certain areas.

Economic Motivations Behind Choices

• Microsoft’s decision stems from economic incentives; they benefit financially regardless of which AI tool is used as long as it runs on their Azure cloud infrastructure.

Technical Preferences Among Developers

• Reports indicate that developers prefer Claude Code over Copilot for refactoring complex codebases because it better understands context and reduces errors during intricate tasks.

The Future of Programming and AI

The Debate on the Evolution of Programming

• A question is posed regarding whether programming will evolve into something superior, as suggested by Grady Booch, or if this new era is merely a facade for the decline of traditional programming.

• The speaker invites audience engagement to discuss their perspectives on this transition in the comments.

Challenges in AI Infrastructure

• The primary bottleneck for artificial intelligence is no longer hardware but electricity; current power grids cannot support expanding server farms.

• Elon Musk's solution involves launching data centers into space, with SpaceX working on orbital data center plans to utilize constant solar energy.

Financial Strategies Behind SpaceX and xAI

• SpaceX has officially merged with xAI to alleviate financial burdens related to chip purchases and energy consumption, using Starlink's positive cash flow to manage operational debts.

• This merger aims to create a sovereign cloud infrastructure that operates outside any country's jurisdiction and is independent from terrestrial power grids.

Issues with AI Creativity and Surveillance

• Roblox faces backlash over its generative AI tool, which fails creatively by replicating existing 3D models instead of innovating, leading to potential legal issues.

• In response to safety concerns, Roblox implements mandatory facial scanning for voice chat access, which users exploit by disguising themselves.

France's Digital Sovereignty Initiative

• France announces plans for its 2.5 million public servants to stop using American collaboration tools by 2027, opting instead for an open-source platform called Suite Numérique.

• This initiative utilizes proven open standards like Matrix for messaging and LiveKit/Jitsi for video communication while maintaining European jurisdiction over data.

Legislative Changes Affecting 3D Printing

• New York proposes legislation requiring manufacturers to install software locks on 3D printers to prevent the production of unregulated items like ghost guns.

• Critics argue that such measures could lead to excessive restrictions on legitimate uses of 3D printing technology, threatening innovation and repairability in various sectors.

What Are the Implications of Software Blockades?

Discussion on Software Blockades

• The speaker poses a question about whether individuals would stop purchasing certain products to build their own open-source printers, like Voron, in response to imposed software blockades. This raises the issue of balancing security against personal freedom and innovation.

Introduction of Innovative Tools

• Witr is introduced as a tool that enhances process monitoring by showing the causal relationships between processes. It visualizes how commands are initiated, making it easier to trace back suspicious activities or malware attempts.

• Vouch is presented as a decentralized reputation system aimed at combating spam from AI-generated Pull Requests on GitHub. It allows developers to validate each other's identities, reminiscent of the Web of Trust concept from the 90s but adapted for modern coding environments.

The Concept of Resistance in Gaming

• The speaker highlights an upcoming release: the original Doom game will be available on Evercade in 2026. Evercade is described as an anti-modern console that relies solely on physical cartridges, emphasizing video game preservation without reliance on digital patches or stores that may close down.