I don't think it is a worry about just software jobs though. Would people be nearly as concerned if some "Technology X" would delete all software jobs but leave all other white-collar jobs intact? Probably not nearly as much, just retrain and go do some other job. I think the concern is that once an AI can replace SWE, it is likely already at the level where in short order there will be no value to intellectual labor, no "thinking jobs" that can sustain a good life.
So basically I don't think it is just self-interest. I think a lot of people see a plausible outcome being the destruction of the value of (at least intellectual) labor. If labor loses all value and society isn't prepared to entirely upend our economic system, most people could suffer greatly, to the extent where the positive and exciting benefits of AI don't really mean much. If someone believes that not making their software open-source can delay that, it isn't necessarily a selfish decision. If that is what you believe, you're delaying a negative outcome for a lot of people.
I don't think it is a worry about just software jobs though. Would people be nearly as concerned if some "Technology X" would delete all software jobs but leave all other white-collar jobs intact? Probably not nearly as much, just retrain and go do some other job. I think the concern is that once an AI can replace SWE, it is likely already at the level where in short order there will be no value to intellectual labor, no "thinking jobs" that can sustain a good life.
So basically I don't think it is just self-interest. I think a lot of people see a plausible outcome being the destruction of the value of (at least intellectual) labor. If labor loses all value and society isn't prepared to entirely upend our economic system, most people could suffer greatly, to the extent where the positive and exciting benefits of AI don't really mean much. If someone believes that not making their software open-source can delay that, it isn't necessarily a selfish decision. If that is what you believe, you're delaying a negative outcome for a lot of people.