Valve co-founder Gabe Newell recently described AI as a “cheat code” with the power to impact “pretty much every single business.” His thoughts come from a short interview snippet shared by Zalkar Saliev and reflect on how AI might change the way people work and create value.
Newell predicts a future where individuals who don’t know traditional programming could become “more helpful developers of value” than those with years of experience simply by using AI tools smartly. He advises young people preparing for success to acquire AI skills, regardless of their field, whether it’s accounting, law, or programming.
“There was pre-computer and then there was post-computer,” Newell said. “There was pre-internet and there was post-internet. I think it’s incredibly obvious that machine learning systems, or AI systems, are going to profoundly impact nearly every single business. So if I had to point to a technology transition to get in front of, it’s to figure out how to use AI to do anything better.”
He continued, “If you want to be an accountant, learn AI. If you’re going to be an attorney, learn AI. If you’re going to be a programmer, make sure you know how to use the tools that are comfortable with those programming concepts. And that all seems super obvious.” Newell referenced the impact of mastering tools like Lotus 1-2-3 back in the day, where being the first to adopt new tech could make someone look like a “super genius.” He sees AI as the next step, a “cheat code” for those ready to embrace it and create more value faster than others.
There are some softer notes in Newell’s recent comments compared to previous ones, where he suggested AI expertise might sometimes trump years of programming experience. Here, he emphasizes the effective use of the right tools rather than AI replacing programmers entirely.
What do you think? Could AI really be a cheat code for your career? Or will it create challenges that we haven’t fully grasped yet?
