The suggestion in this article is that use of the term is "outdated at best and offensive at worst":
https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/is-autists-offensive/
Some other notable comments from the article:
"Today, “autist” is rarely used by researchers, doctors, or autistic people themselves—but it can be found in edgy online spaces."
"Because it’s often used in poor taste in modern Internet culture, I would avoid it unless someone with autism specifically tells you it’s his/her preferred term."
Re Wall Street Bets (which seemingly brought the term back into modern usage, with the opposite meaning to how they used “retards”): "The guide doesn’t explain how this terminology developed, but it’s probably rooted in the stereotype that every person with autism is a high-functioning, obsessive expert on certain topics, or even a savant-level genius."
Personally, I don't like it. For some reason, it irritates me. Having learned more about its modern usage, it now also feels either derogatory (when used by others) or too snobbish and aligned with "Aspie supremacy"-style thinking. I prefer "autistic person" or just “autistic” which can also be used as a noun.
