>What are some AI-proof(ish) industries we can jump into after software engineering is drastically reduced?
Hospitality will always be a thing. There's a reason why the Enterprise-D still has a human bartender that makes real drinks, even though it's completely superfluous. People will always want to be served by other humans, even if AI Android tech became perfect.
The Doylist reason was "we need a role for Whoopi Goldberg". There is no Watsonian reason, as Data did bar duty in the episode they had their memories wiped.
Looking back at them, the taking points about AI are basically the same now as in each episode of TNG, DS9, and VOY that is focused on AI, in the form of Data, Moriarty, The Doctor (and if he has copyright over his holonovel), that Irish village in Voyager, Wesley Crusher's nanites or the ship's main computer becoming sentient…
>The Doylist reason was "we need a role for Whoopi Goldberg"
Fair, but the point still stands. A better example would be Quark's from DS9. Even in a world of perfect replication and perfect androids, people are always going to want a human touch for these things.
Hospitality will always be a thing. There's a reason why the Enterprise-D still has a human bartender that makes real drinks, even though it's completely superfluous. People will always want to be served by other humans, even if AI Android tech became perfect.