Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made much progress over the past decade. This advance has everyone wondering how far it can go. Nowadays, generative AI systems can create images in a myriad of different styles from just text. Examples of AI-powered tools include DALL·E 2, Midjourney, Stability, and Figma's Ghost Artist. Further, Neural Networks like GPT3 can translate, write, answer questions, and code!
All this raised concerns about AI taking over creative jobs besides mechanical ones. So, how have AI models changed Software Development? Will human engineers be a thing of the past? This article will focus on where AI-powered Software Development stands today. Moreover, we'll review what experts expect the future will bring. But first, let's look at the general concerns about Artificial Intelligence.
How Far Has Artificial Intelligence (AI) Come?
AI has a pivotal role in our lives, from speech recognition to smart assistants and predictive analytics. Today, some systems can create original art pieces. It might not be long before AI creates outstanding music and best-selling literature. It even has made strides in medicine, including breast cancer diagnostics.
All these breakthroughs beg the question: will machines replace humans? The most sensible and probable answer to this question is no. As other techs have done throughout history, AI will replace some jobs. Yet, it will also create new ones while enhancing what humans can do.
The popularity of AI increases while the cost of training it decreases. As a result, the human workforce in some areas is likely to be significantly reduced. Some studies even say that, by 2050, AI will replace 50% of routine jobs. Yet, this does not mean we will suddenly have a significant rise in unemployment. As in the past, the workforce will retrain to focus on more specific and complex tasks.
This change should lead to higher salaries and a better quality of life. Of course, some have a bleaker outlook on the future. In this scenario, AI will cause us to become over-reliant on machines. There are even thoughts about it leading to economic destabilization and impending doom. The most probable prospect is AI enhancing human intelligence instead of replacing it.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Software Development
Regarding the Software Development Lifecycle, AI has proven beneficial to assist developers in routine tasks. Some AI tools check code to detect errors and bugs and reduce risk when deploying upgrades. These tools have led to more secure systems and an increase in productivity. Below, we'll take a closer look at what AI has brought to the table. Also, we'll check two Artificial Intelligence systems that tackle coding specifically.
Where is Artificial Intelligence Useful?
● Requirements. Gathering and managing requirements for the AI-drive Software Development process can be cumbersome. AI has created tools that cut human intervention, saving time and effort. Though this technology is still in its early stages, it looks promising. One of the existing solutions for requirement management is the one created by IBM.
● Design. AI's impact on User Experience (UX) design has been positive. It has helped analyze data quicker, provide advanced localization, and understand what design systems and services can reuse. Also, it aided in taking personalization a step further.
● Coding. Several examples of AI-driven development tools for coding include an "autocomplete" feature. This feature helps boost productivity and improve code accuracy. This feature will save developers time and allow them to focus on problem-solving and design. Visual Studio Code, Intellicode, and GitHub Copilot are a couple of examples of this tech.
● Testing. Manual testing can be pretty time-consuming for the development cycle. With AI, developers can quickly develop software testing cases, make code reviews, and conduct regression testing. Some existing AI-driven testing tools include Appvance, Testim, and Diffblue.
● Security. AI has enhanced data security by investigating data using Machine Learning models, helping development teams detect irregularities and avoid false notifications and alerts. Some examples include Google's email filters and the Balbix Security Cloud-based platform.
Real-Life Examples of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We've seen how AI-assisted development is changing the game in the realm of Software Development. Now, let's turn to two examples of AI-powered programming.
The first one is GPT3, a third-generation Machine-Learning system and text-generating neural network created by OpenAI. This system uses an algorithm based on 45TB of data. Further, it uses 175 billion ML parameters to produce human-like text. What makes it impressive is that it's ten times larger than any other model. About this topic, GPT-3 can also create AI-generated code in various programming languages. Though imperfect, the system is expected to take over mundane tasks eventually. As a consequence, it could help cut bottlenecks in software production.
Likewise, we another example. DeepCoder is an AI system that learns from millions of open-source programs. Built by Microsoft and the University of Cambridge, this Neural Network predicts program properties through a Deep Learning model, a type of Machine Learning. In this way, DeepCoder can solve a variety of potential issues and generate code. DeepCoder's capabilities are currently limited. However, the system is expected to be able to automate code generation considerably in a handful of years.
The future of AI-Driven Software Development
Artificial Intelligence has already changed some aspects of Software Development environments. Also, it will continue to do so over the next few decades. But how drastic will these paradigm shifts be? Will Software Engineering become automated? Will AI completely replace Software Developers? Let's explore what the future may bring.
Can AI take over Software Development?
Well, opinions on this topic are somewhat divided. According to Andrej Karpathy, integrating AI will bring a new age of how to develop software called Software 2.0. The software will be more abstract from this stand and won't need human involvement. Instead of writing code, programmers will focus on finding, curating, and making data-driven decisions relevant data. These actions would help Machine Learning systems in charge of writing said codes.
Yet, as expected, Karpathy has received a lot of criticism. Some experts believe that AI will empower Software Developers instead of replacing them. This point of view suggests that AI will take over more repetitive tasks in the stages of development. In this context, coders could focus on creative and critical aspects of programming. The most likely scenario is that programmers' roles will shift as they have done over the last few years. It's unlikely that AI will replace human developers anytime soon. Instead, it will most likely become an influential tool for developers. These tools will help to get knowledge and optimize procedures. In this scenario, AI will tackle the more tedious parts of code development.
Software Developers in the Age of AI
If you are a developer worried about staying relevant as AI evolves, there are various skills you can work on. Today, developers skilled in math, statistics, security standards, and calculus can benefit from AI projects. Also, Big Data, Machine Learning (ML), Data Science, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Large Language Models (LLMs) are gaining momentum. Besides, there is data mining and cognitive computing. Don't worry; you don't need to become an expert in all these fields just to have a comprehensive understanding! But general knowledge will be helpful. Moreover, specializing in a specific area will prove valuable.
Can a Software Developer Become an AI Engineer?
AI engineers combine Data Science, data engineering, and software development skills. As a result, they're able to build Artificial Intelligence applications. Further, they build Neural Networks and create Machine Learning algorithms. A Software Developer can most definitely become an AI Engineer. Yet, they might have to face a steep learning curve. But there are countless resources available to help developers through the journey!
Software Development vs. Artificial Intelligence vs. Cyber Security
Should I study Software Development, AI, or Cyber Security? While we can't tell you which option is better, it's essential to consider a few elements:
Software Development favors creative and innovative people. Software Engineers are often comfortable working on teams and their own. Further, they tend not to be afraid to learn from a hands-on approach. Artificial intelligence revolves mainly around data. Because of this, skills in data engineering and exploratory data analysis are required. People better suited for this field don't only love data. Also, they have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Besides, they're creative, proficient in statistics, and have good problem-solving skills. Finally, cybersecurity also requires excellent communication skills. Yet, it also needs strengths like high resistance to anxiety and a passion for puzzle-solving.
Conclusion
AI has brought and will continue to bring a wide range of benefits to the dynamic landscape of the Software Development Industry. We'll leave the theory of machines taking over to science fiction writers for now. Yet, we can say that, over the following decades, AI will focus on increasing productivity. Further, it will help programmers with a vast amount of repetitive and time-consuming tasks. The future of Software Development is bound to change and adjust as this technology evolves. We are looking forward to seeing what the future brings for Artificial Intelligence Software Development!
