10 People + AI = Billion Dollar Company?

As AI continues to evolve and advance, a line of thinking has emerged that humans will no longer need to learn how to write code in the future. If so, could this mean that a staff of ten or less could create a unicorn? The hosts of Lightcone analyze this prediction and discuss whether it has merit.

0:00 Coming Up
0:51 What Jensen Huang said about coding
1:38 Now that computers can code, what does this mean for CS?
3:16 How good are AI programmers right now?
11:44 Good ideas come from the building process
14:50 The evolution of programming languages
17:52 The benefits of learning to code, even if computers can do it
18:57 Will we see more unicorns with 10 people (or fewer)?
23:58 A startup should be like a sports team, not a family
27:23 Applying engineering problem solving to non-engineering issues
28:55 What will happen if AI takes on more programming roles?
36:58 The verdict - learn to code!
38:07 Outro

[chapterme]

Chapters (Powered by ChapterMe) -
00:00 - Coming Up
00:51 - What Jensen Huang said about coding
01:38 - Now that computers can code, what does this mean for CS?
03:16 - How good are AI programmers right now?
05:05 - Benchmark Datasets
08:34 - Will AI replace programmers: SWE-bench
11:44 - Good ideas come from the building process
14:50 - The evolution of programming languages
17:52 - The benefits of learning to code, even if computers can do it
18:57 - Will we see more unicorns with 10 people (or fewer)?
22:36 - Patrick Collison: Leadership Transition
23:58 - A startup should be like a sports team, not a family
25:33 - Scaling Challenges
27:23 - Applying engineering problem solving to non-engineering issues
28:55 - What will happen if AI takes on more programming roles?
33:38 - Making better for a real customer
36:58 - The verdict - learn to code!
37:51 - Crafts People
38:07 - Outro

[danecjensen]

Chapters (Powered by ChapterMe and @danecjensen) -
00:00 - AI programmers reliability, companies workforces
00:32 - Controversy over computer science education
05:16 - Deep learning started with ImageNet benchmark
05:51 - Challenges in machine learning, AlexNets impact, and AI race
08:30 - Coding as an image recognition task
10:17 - Engineering models messy real world
15:06 - Early programming languages coding, assembly, C, Python
18:13 - Learning to code makes LLMs smarter
22:38 - Patrick Hollisons transformation from intense engineer to effective leader
23:47 - Startup founder explains rejection of familylike model
26:01 - Smart founders learn effective leadership skills
27:18 - Oracle cofounder Larry Ellisons path to success
29:20 - Reduced team sizes, efficiency, Jevons paradox
32:29 - Peoples jobs should be freed up for innovation
36:33 - Growing up in Chile, YC changed my life
37:51 - YCs craftspeople build future

[REMUSE]

As a consumer, it's hope-inducing.
As an entrepreneur, it's distracting.

[howtoactuallyinvest]

Instagram only had 13 employees when they hit a $1B valuation and that was pre crazy inflation.. you guys should know this. What will be impressive w AI is a billion dollar company w 1 or 2 founders only

[ZevUhuru]

It's very important to under what Jensen said. He is NOT saying that there will be no use for Computer Science majors or Programmers in the foreseeable future. He is saying that the end game of the industry is to eliminate "Programming" as we now know it. I don't even think Jensen would proclaim to know when this will be possible. However, that is the end goal, to enable any human the ability to program anything using natural language in the same way anyone can now generate an image on demand.

[GoesByStrider]

Yes! This is the topic I’ve been waiting to hear. Many people are saying the software engineer career will die with AI engineers emerging soon . Others are saying “The end of software” as these software products will become quick and easy to build for everyone so prices will go to zero... We need to talk about this more as I see people discussing this everywhere

[gordon]

If it’s so easy to start these companies, what makes you think any lasting value is being created?

[devmentorlive]

While I watch this I have 3 agents working on 3 different projects.

[carloslfu]

I have been a follower of Garry since his beginning on YouTube here. It's incredible that Garry, the CEO, is still part of these videos. That speaks tons about him and YC's current culture! 🙌

[SouhailEntertainment]

Introduction and Discussion of Jensen Huang's Statement on AI and Coding - 00:00:00
State of AI Programmers and Their Current Capabilities - 00:01:55
History and Impact of Benchmarking in AI and Programming - 00:04:06
Comparison of Image Recognition and Programming Tasks in AI - 00:08:49
Challenges of Real-World Programming vs. Idealized AI Solutions - 00:10:18
Future of AI in Programming: From Basic Tasks to Full App Development - 00:12:25
The Importance of Learning to Code Despite Advancements in AI - 00:17:55
Impact of AI on Software Company Structure and Employment - 00:19:28
The Reality of Scaling Companies with Fewer Employees - 00:22:03
Importance of Management Skills in Company Growth - 00:23:36
Challenges of Treating a Company as a Family vs. a Team - 00:24:04
The Role of Programming and AI in Enhancing Founder Capabilities - 00:27:07
The Future of Companies: More Unicorns or Fewer, Larger Companies? - 00:29:25
Historical Predictions and the Reality of Company Sizes in Tech - 00:30:15
Impact of Technological Advances on Job Roles and Company Structures - 00:31:13
The Value of Engineering Knowledge and Taste in Founding Companies - 00:36:17
Conclusion: The Importance of Learning to Code and Embracing Technology - 00:37:16

[gregoryneal-qutq]

What Garry says between 24:00-25:24 might be the most useful thing you will ever hear in your business life.

[Collinwood]

10 People + AI = Billion Dollar Company? This is the essence of AI future

[martineghiazaryan]

after 5 months the level of these models that can work on complex projects is really impressive.

[BrianStaples-kh]

a sports team that solves problems and wins. well put

[johnstalkernet]

I like the camera/painter metaphor. I think the next phase of this is knowing when/where to lean into the LLM vs let the human paint. More advanced tools don't typically make the previous tools obsolete. Airplanes are more advanced than cars, but we still use cars. The microwave is more advanced than the stovetop but with still cook on stoves, etc... but what we HAVE learned is when/where to use the microwave vs the stove, how best to utilize each. In many areas the human may be preferred to the LLM and vice versa.

[RishPhotography]

The question is not how to do stuff. The question is what to do. That's where the human intuition will come. There will exist a power law in ideas, which right now isn't there because if we could speed up the building process of any idea, we can quickly see if it's worth the effort or not. AI will bridge that gap

[humanamachina]

Learning Computer Science is fundamental, like learning language and biology is fundamental for us. We learn english to be able to communicate effectively with one another and biology to understand how we are composed. To create a thought or an idea and pass that to another person, language is used. Computer science, in this particular case, coding, is the direct analog. Other areas in computer science allow us to understand how computers and machines are structured. We will need to understand machines like we understand ourselves. They are after all, mirrors of us but in a different form.

[HelloWorld-bx]

Imagine writing a story which I tend to see code as that. The thinking, editing, rewrite. Let’s also add that context matters and English is not necessarily the perfect language, there is nuance in communication. The response is largely impacted in the quality of the question(s) we ask.

[peternguyen]

Great discussion guys, thanks! I think what Jensen meant was that a formal education in computer science or programming is not necessary, but people can always learn the basics, including computational thinking. I teach digital marketing at a college and similarly, I would say that a formal education in digital marketing is no longer necessary (which is partly why I quit teaching in January 2023 after playing with ChatGPT for two weeks).

[waldonumberone]

35:15 Diana tries to push Harj to talk about equal opportunity and Harj and Garry pivot to talking about how adopting Rails made them feel personally powerful TT