Yet another article about AI. Do you sometimes wish it would just go away?
It is hard not to compare AI today to what the Internet was doing in the late 90s. Yet there is something AI is doing that the Internet couldn’t - in a short space of time it has exploded. For instance, in 2019 the global AI revenue was a mere $9 billion. However, it is predicted that in 2025, this will soar to $120 billion.
As AI looks to be around for the long term there are grounded fears that AI will soon surpass human skills and leave us obsolete and unemployed.
As a software development firm based in Glasgow, we are asking:
Will AI really the beginning of the end of the humble software developer?
The answer is no. In fact, there are at least three reasons why AI is not a threat, but an opportunity, for software developers.
Reason 1: AI is not magic, it’s software
The first reason why AI is not the beginning of the end of the humble software developer is that AI is not some kind of magic that works on its own. AI is software, and software needs to be developed, maintained, and improved by humans.
Software developers are the ones who create, test, debug, deploy, and optimize AI software. Without software developers, AI software would not exist, or would not work as intended.
Reason 2: AI is not a replacement, it’s a complement
The second reason why AI is not the beginning of the end of the humble software developer is that AI is not a replacement, but a complement, for human skills and abilities.
Just like what calculators did for mathematics, AI is good at performing tasks that are repetitive, tedious, or require large amounts of data and computation. And just like in mathematics or physics, humans are the ones who can provide the missing pieces that AI lacks.
Software developers are the ones who can make AI software more human, more useful, and more meaningful.
Reason 3: AI is not a competitor, it’s a collaborator
The third reason why AI is not the beginning of the end of the humble software developer is that AI is not a competitor, but a collaborator, for software developers. AI is not a rival, but a partner, that can help software developers achieve more, faster, and better.
Software developers are the ones who can leverage the power of AI to enhance their own performance, quality, and impact. They are the ones who can use AI as a tool, a resource, and a friend. They are the ones who can benefit from the synergy, the harmony, and the innovation that AI can bring to the software development process.
So, the future of software development? Not a robot uprising, but a beautiful collaboration between humans and their AI companions. However, if it starts asking for your credit card number, maybe hit the off switch!