#131 – Chris Lattner: The Future of Computing and Programming Languages

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Oct 19, 2020

Chris Lattner, a pioneering engineer known for his work at Apple, Tesla, and Google, dives into the future of programming languages and computing. He discusses the evolution and significance of languages like Swift, emphasizing their role in enhancing performance. Lattner shares insights on the contrasting leadership styles of visionaries like Steve Jobs and Elon Musk. The conversation also touches on the impact of AI on programming paradigms, highlighting the shift towards Software 2.0 and the challenges that come with integrating machine learning in coding.

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ANECDOTE

Contrasting Leadership Styles

Chris Lattner contrasts Steve Jobs's human-centric design approach with Elon Musk's focus on technological exponentials.
He highlights Jeff Dean's brilliance and collaborative leadership style at Google.

ADVICE

Embrace Not Knowing

Become comfortable not knowing and ask "dumb" questions to learn and grow.
Embrace vulnerability and create a safe space for others to share ideas.

INSIGHT

Programming Language Design

Programming languages are tools for expressing human intent to computers, balancing portability and abstraction.
Their UI, beyond syntax, is a design problem impacting developer experience.

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Chris Lattner is a world-class software & hardware engineer, leading projects at Apple, Tesla, Google, and SiFive. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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EPISODE LINKS:
Chris’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/clattner_llvm
Chris’s Website: http://nondot.org/sabre/

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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
00:00 – Introduction
07:12 – Working with Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Jeff Dean
12:42 – Why do programming languages matter?
18:42 – Python vs Swift
29:35 – Design decisions
34:53 – Types
38:41 – Programming languages are a bicycle for the mind
41:13 – Picking what language to learn
47:12 – Most beautiful feature of a programming language
56:36 – Walrus operator
1:06:03 – LLVM
1:11:15 – MLIR compiler framework
1:15:21 – SiFive semiconductor design
1:27:56 – Moore’s Law
1:31:09 – Parallelization
1:35:37 – Swift concurrency manifesto
1:46:26 – Running a neural network fast
1:52:03 – Is the universe a quantum computer?
1:57:44 – Effects of the pandemic on society
2:14:56 – GPT-3
2:19:15 – Software 2.0
2:32:41 – Advice for young people
2:37:24 – Meaning of life