> The difference is that the first camp is re-experiencing that feeling of wonder while the second camp is lamenting it.

I don't think so. I think the first camp does not get paid for programming, while the second camp does.

That's why the first camp is so happy, and why the second camp is not.

> I thankfully fall in the first camp. AI is allowing me to build things I couldn't, not due to a lack of skills, but a lack of time.

It sounds like you're developing for yourself only. Your attitude makes sense, then - you want a $FOO, and now you can have one without paying for it.

I think you can only empathise with the second camp if your ability to eat depends on being able to sell $FOOs.

I am firmly in both camps. On one hand, getting stuff working has its own thrill.

On the other hand, I step back, look at the progress made in just the last year, and realize that not only is my job soon to be gone, but pretty much everyone's job is gone that primarily does knowledge work.

I feel there's now an egg timer set on my career, and I better make the best of the couple of minutes I have left.

It sounds like you don’t particularly care about the user interface, and that’s why you’re okay with delegating it. I think the developers who don’t like delegating to AI are the ones who care about and have strong opinions about all the parts. To them there are no unimportant parts where the details don’t matter.

Similarly, I'm using it to write apps in non-native languages, like rust. My first foray into it led to finding poor documentation examples. AI allows me to create without spending large swaths of time learning minutia.

I'm enjoying it to a point, but yes, it does eliminate that sense of accomplishment - when you've spent many late nights working on something complex, and finally finish it. That's pretty much gone.

delegating UI to the 'not worth my time' pile is how you end up with a poor UI

I’m sure the UI engineers would have a bit of a different take.