Evolution of the IT Guy: From PHP Programmer to AI Engineer

Description

A three-panel black-and-white stick figure comic titled 'An IT guy' showing the evolution of developer identity across two decades. Panel 1 (2005): A person asks 'Hey! An IT guy, can you help me?' and the developer angrily responds 'I am not some IT guy! I am a PHP programmer!' while standing next to a CRT monitor displaying '<?php'. Panel 2 (2015): Someone says 'I am looking for a PHP programmer...' and the developer, now next to a modern monitor showing the Unreal Engine logo, indignantly replies 'A programmer?! I am a software developer!' Panel 3 (2025): Someone asks 'Can you help me? I need some developer to fix it.' and the developer, now sitting behind a laptop with the ChatGPT/OpenAI logo, responds 'A developer?! I am an AI engineer!' Each panel shows the developer getting increasingly offended by outdated job titles while the technology evolves around them

Common Tags

TitleInflationInTech CareerProgression Career DeveloperHumor DeveloperStereotypes TechHistory Chatgpt GenerationalShiftInTech AIHype Openai

Comments

Anonymous ★ Top Pick In 2030 he'll be offended you called him an AI engineer - he's a 'Prompt Orchestration Architect,' thank you very much

Anonymous ★ Top Pick

In 2030 he'll be offended you called him an AI engineer - he's a 'Prompt Orchestration Architect,' thank you very much
@Algoinde 7mo

Common trait: all of them have no job
@yevhen_k 7mo

fixed
@RiedleroD 7mo

calling programmers "engineers" is both disrespectful to actual engineers and actual programmers
1. @Algoinde 7mo
  
  my father's degree (translated) is "programmer-engineer" so actual who is he
  
  @RiedleroD 7mo
  
  hey, at least "programmer" is still part of the title. nowadays most official text leaves that part out completely in favour of "engineer"
  
  @Nocturn_le_chat 7mo
  
  Gay
  
  Deleted Account 7mo
  
  😹😹
2. @RiedleroD 7mo
  
  AND confusing to people who aren't in either profession. engineering and programming are very different things, and by equating them verbally, people have been borderline spreading misinformation
@RiedleroD 7mo

just because you work on something called "engine" doesn't make you an engineer. same reason fixing bugs doesn't make you an exterminator
1. @RiedleroD 7mo
  
  ok now that I've said that, I do actually want to be called exterminator when fixing bugs xDc
  
  @RiedleroD 7mo
  
  but that's besides the point- they call programmers "software engineers" because engineer is seen as a very prestigious title. that's the whole and only reason.
  
  @Algoinde 7mo
  
  only in some legislations no? like in canada for example, where you have to pass an exam to hold the title of Engineer
  
  @RiedleroD 7mo
  
  same way the ICC only works "in some legislations" - it's supposed to be international, some countries just have no interest in doing things properly.
  
  @RiedleroD 7mo
  
  I will say though, the US does protect the title of "engineer", but only when not prefixed or suffixed by anything (other than "professional")
@Dartrisen 7mo

2025: I work for food. Please do not replace me with ai.