Cannot disagree more with the idea of merging all programming languages into one syntax. That’s like saying getting rid of all natural languages and have everyone speak Esperanto, getting rid of all styles of visual art and have everyone paint with Cubism, etc. Programming languages are more than just a means of computation, there are a means of expression steeped in a level of how abstract one wants to think. Assembly is required when you’re talking to the machine, but it would be a nightmare to work at that level when one is trying to write shell scripts. Likewise, a type system like Haskell’s is ideal when one is exploring types in general, but would be a huge pain when one needs to write a throw away script.

And you are forgetting people’s taste. One could argue the closest language we have to a “universal syntax” is JavaScript. But JavaScript sucks. Sorry, but I do not like that language. It inhabits that range of being used for everything and good at nothing. It’s a necessary evil in my books, nothing more.

I can’t see AI completely replacing coding jobs for a long while, probably during my career. I’m sure it’ll replace some manual work, but as long as people are involved, they will have their own preferences on how to program a computer. And that’s how it should be. You won’t find code listings it in a gallery, but it’s still an artefact of humans.