I admit that as a newbie in the tech industry at this age and time, it can be quite intimidating. There are endless whispers about how Artificial Intelligence(AI) is taking over in this field and this aspect has many people on edge. From a universal perspective, AI and technology development is quite a relief since it allows them to cut straight the loops where they get results faster, and without having to understand the complex details associated with technology. Most importantly, AI has helped lower the cost for its users who range from prominent businesses to individuals seeking information. On the other hand, these developments are causing fear and anxiety among ‘techies’ who see this as a threat to their jobs which is true to some extent. In this case, let’s take a deep dive into AI and its future in this industry.
So what is AI?
This is a form of technology that carries out tasks which require human intelligence to respond to. Some common examples include GPS guidance, Open AI, digital assistants or bots and Chat GPT. These types of AI replicate human intelligence to automate decision-making processes using AI algorithms which are trained to use available data and seemingly replicate human responses.
Can AI replace software engineers
However, until now no amount of machine training has perfectly been able to replicate the human brain hence making the outcomes of using AI less accurate or rather low quality compared to human abilities. As stated in the definition, AI tries to replicate its responses using previous data which then may fail to meet the specific needs especially if they are not available in the data fed to that particular AI.
Nevertheless, AI has had a massive impact on writing code and debugging which cannot be underplayed. This is the reason why many people have begun to speculate that AI will take over the programming industry. However, these worries are unfounded since credible research shows that with the growth in AI, there will be increased demand for programmers between 2024 to 2031. Just like the invention of compilers never replaced programmers and instead elevated their abilities to focus on more complex tasks and systems so will AI. AI will help programmers by doing manual and tedious tasks as they focus on creativity, brainstorming complex problems, and innovations in the tech industry. Anyone who has tried to generate a code using AI can testify that AI has a long way to go in terms of quality and problem-solving.
Since AI can handle some programming tasks, this will be an added advantage to programmers because a project that could previously take 6 months can now be done in a month or less. However, this does not mean that there will be fewer programmers working on the task because the law of demand and supply still applies to this scenario. Although some programmers are worried about the eventuality and uncertainties that AI brings, it is important to remember that adapting is important to growth and becoming of high value in the tech field. Other programmers are confident that until their clients can understand exactly what they want and learn to use programming terms, they are safe.
Summary
In summary, AI may take over some programming tasks but cannot replace a high-value developer since their quality, and innovativeness cannot be replicated. That said, to avoid being filtered out and replaced by AI, a software engineer has to do more than the bare minimum in terms of ensuring they master new skills and techniques, and up their creativity while they use AI to their advantage.
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