I don't think cheaper models will cook devs more than AI has already. Cheaper local models mean junior devs can get the means of production on their laptop without a Claude or cursor license from an employer. If anything its mitigating.

AI in general is going to cook the junior code monkey at big firms. Senior devs are going to write their designs and diagrams and give that to an AI system to develop instead of a team of junior devs. It'll become more PhD or go home like Physics. Smaller more flexible firms will still need devs.