Lacking in empathy could also be said of the software devs who think that software devs are a significant customer group in the economy, when they are a tiny percentage of the work force. Asking yourself "who is going to purchase the products?" when software development is being automated is quite silly. Why didn't they ask that question when thousands of other professions suffered the same?

> And... you blame software developers for that?

I don't blame them. They had more lucrative ventures to tend to. Now that under served market segments can be served with the help of AI, then they shouldn't complain.

You mention making web sites, but this is probably the only field in computing where the market has a lot of offerings to customers from all segments. If I need a website I don't have to use Wix, there is an endless supply of freelancers or small, medium, or big studios that offer their services. The same cannot be said of other bespoke software needs.

BTW, you are hearing a lot more hostility in my comments than is actually there.

> We like to work on interesting projects... is that surprising? Is that snobbery? I don't get it.

Yes it is snobbery. Other skilled professionals generally do not have that option, they have to do the boring stuff as well. And if you only like to work on interesting projects, then why are people complaining that AI is taking their jobs?

Regarding hobbyist / open source, I mean that when software devs aren't working on big enterprise style projects as a job, they tend to work on enterprise style projects as open source, or just play with hobbyist projects. Servicing smaller customers with bespoke software seems to be considered a little bit beneath the programmer dignity.

And it's not my personal experience talking. Consider how many studios are offering bespoke software for small businesses, compared to how many studios are offering websites for small businesses. There's a huge gap, that is probably going to be filled in some way pretty soon.