On The Road – AI is not going to kill software development

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Episode Information:

I hear about it this topic every now and then from colleagues and up-and-coming developers. They fear that programming is a dead-end profession that is going to be taken over by automation where computers will be able to program new software without the need of a programmer or software engineer.

Personally, I think it’s a load of BS and here’s why:

Programming on its own is a skill that can be simplified and made more intuitive, but a career in programming is much bigger and more complex than just being a code monkey that creates cookie-cutter solutions.

Traditionally, programmers are engineering custom solutions to problems that are not something that can be copy and pasted from StackOverflow. Instead, they require a variety of skills ranging from having technical creativity skills, knowledge of backend development, and a good sense of how technology interfaces between each other.

What we’ve seen so far:

Sure, we are seeing software roles losing demand as tools that automate their jobs are being released, but those tools are creating a new field to learn. Look at web development, where you couldn’t make a basic website without some programming skills 10 years ago. Now, you can make a website in minutes using tools like Weebly and SquareSpace.

But, these tools are not killing the software development job market. They are shifting the market to demand software engineers with a more diverse skill set that are able to take on larger projects and different roles.

What may happen in the near future?

Where I see programming roles shifting in the next 20 years is developers are going to in high demand to program complex custom software that needs to interface between multiple toolsets. We’re going to need programmers that have a creative side to them and are able to think logically and design well. There will be a demand for knowledgeable developers to direct and manage projects that are being implemented by the new form of programmers that are using these new tools that will automate some of the code that one required dozens and/or hundreds of coders.

So, are programmers at immediate risk of losing their jobs? No. If you’re a good programmer and a dynamic person then you are going to be fine and there will be work for you.

So, are programmers at immediate risk of losing their jobs? No. If you’re a good programmer and a dynamic person then you are going to be fine and there will be work for you.