@utopiazh: Andrew Ng suggests that everyone should learn to code. I don't entirely agree. "Being able to accurately tell AI/computer what you want it to do, and let it do it for you." This statement is fine, but whether everyone should learn to code is still controversial. For ordinary people, understanding AI's behavior patterns and being able to have conversations is enough. If AI needs to quietly write code in the background to complete tasks, it's also...
Summary
This article discusses Andrew Ng's suggestion that everyone should learn to code, but the author believes that ordinary people only need to understand AI's behavior patterns and be able to have conversations, with AI able to complete coding tasks in the background.
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Cached at: 09/24/26, 08:30 PM
Andrew Ng suggests everyone should learn to code. I’m not entirely convinced.
The statement “be able to clearly tell AI/computers what you want done, and let them do it for you” is perfectly valid. However, whether everyone needs to learn programming is still highly debatable.
Ordinary users only need to understand AI’s behavioral patterns and be able to have a conversation with it. If AI needs to quietly write code in the background to complete tasks, the process remains invisible to the user anyway.
Understanding AI principles and engaging in vibe coding is a higher requirement, often involving stepping outside of chat-based client interfaces—a need most everyday users likely don’t have.
Coding is just one of many tasks AI can handle, not the entirety of its capabilities.
Baoyu (@dotey): In the AI era, what’s the most important skill for professionals to learn right now?
Andrew Ng’s suggestion is that everyone should learn to code.
Many corporate executives argue against learning to code, claiming AI will automate it away. Andrew Ng believes this logic is actually backwards. Precisely because AI makes writing code easier than ever, it’s become more worthwhile for everyone to learn.
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