ALT PL research is dead, the age of PL exploration is just beginning! 02 Oct, 2026 programming_languages research perspectives There was a recent thread on the TYPES mailing list with researchers speculating about the future of our field given the disruptive effects of AI tools on programming in general. The opinions in the thread were a mix of thoughtful stances. Some were positive, but the majority opinion was overwhelmingly negative. It wouldn't be too far to say that some researchers feel that they are facing an existential crisis right now: I observe anecdotally that many people in academia are feeling worse about their work in Fall 2026 than a year ago …. Lower morale and motivation, higher stress and anxiety levels, and corresponding risks to mental health. The impact is comparable to what happened during COVID. I wanted to write this thread to present an alternative position. I think many junior researchers at the moment are watching this discussion right now, students re