The Electric Revolution of Henry Ford and the Future of AI in Software Development

I've been reflecting on how software development is set to evolve with the introduction of AI and AI tools. Change is nothing new in the world of software development. For example, in our parents' time, programmers used punch cards to write code. However, the impact of AI and AI-driven development will be much more significant. These advancements will fundamentally alter the way we write, structure, and organize code.

There’s a compelling analogy to consider: Henry Ford’s Highland Park Plant. This plant truly revolutionized industrial manufacturing—not in the superficial way that influencers might claim when they say they are “revolutionizing the mushroom tea supplement market.” Ford returned to first principles, examining manufacturing and the tools available at the time to redesign everything from the ground up. He built a new factory centered around electricity. It’s remarkable because industrial electricity existed for nearly forty years before it was effectively utilized to enhance productivity.

Before the invention of electricity, manufacturing plants were structured around a central boiler, with heavy machinery powered by steam. The equipment that required the most power was situated nearest to the boiler, while those that needed less energy were placed farther away. The entire design of the plant focused on the power source rather than efficient production.

However, when Henry Ford began working on the Model T, he collaborated with Thomas Edison to rethink this layout. Edison convinced Ford that electrical power plants could provide a consistent and high level of power to every piece of equipment, regardless of its distance from the generator. This breakthrough allowed Ford to implement his manufacturing principles and design the first assembly line.

It took 40 years—think about that—40 years from the proliferation of industrial electricity for it to change how the world operated in any meaningful way. There were no productivity gains from electricity for over 40 years. It's insane.

How does this relate to AI and software development, you may ask? Understanding the importance of humans in both software and AI is crucial. Humans are the driving force; we serve as the central power source behind every structure and design pattern in software development. Human maintainability is essential to the principles often referred to as “clean code.” We have created patterns and written numerous articles focusing on software development with people in mind. In fact, we've designed entire programming languages to be user-friendly. Code must be readable, maintainable, and manageable by humans since they will need to modify it. Just as a steam factory is organized around a single power source, we structure our systems with the understanding that when that power source changes, the entire system may need to be reorganized.

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into software development, it is emerging as a powerful new tool. AI has the ability to read, write, and modify code in ways that are beyond human

capability. However, certain patterns—such as naming conventions and the principle of single responsibility—can complicate the process for AI, making it difficult to effectively analyze and reason about code.

As AI plays a more central role in development, there will be a growing demand for faster code generation. This could mean that instead of using JavaScript or TypeScript and then minifying the code, we could instruct an AI to make behavioral changes, allowing it to update already minified code directly. Additionally, code duplication might become a beneficial feature that enhances software efficiency, as AI would be able to instantly modify all instances of the duplicated logic.

This shift in thinking will take time. People will need to adapt, and for now, AI's role in software development primarily provides incremental improvements. However, companies and individuals who embrace AI and begin to rethink fundamental software development principles, including Conway's Law, will revolutionize the way we build software and, consequently, how the world operates.

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