Software developers are aware that writing code alone is no longer enough.
After all, the idea that artificial intelligence would replace human workers is not new; in the last two years, a number of tech giants have said that they will be eliminating positions in order to concentrate more on the advancement of AI. Google cut 12,000 positions last year, or 6% of its total staff, as it started to prioritize artificial intelligence.
IBM declared in May 2023 that it would stop hiring for positions that artificial intelligence (AI) might replace. 26,000 positions were impacted, including those in human resources and other non-customer-facing divisions. However, software engineers have also been directly impacted by AI.
Software engineers stated that they expect the industry will contract because it doesn’t require as many workers as it does now, despite the fact that AI has helped them be more productive by helping to generate and debug code.
They explained that this meant they would need to work smarter if they wanted to maintain their jobs.
AI will force software engineering teams at businesses to become smaller.
AI solutions like ChatGPT and Github Copilot perform a lot of the “heavy lifting” for employees like Arpita Kaushik, a data scientist at Rocket Mortgage. This meant that businesses could operate with smaller teams without sacrificing output, according to her.
According to her, the role of a software engineer will likely alter, and you could only need four in the future rather than five.
Aditya Swami, the head of product development at Singapore’s Hatcher+ venture capital firm, agreed with Kaushik’s point of view. In fact, Swami predicted that declining headcounts in larger organizations will be even more noticeable.
He said, “That’s going to happen.” The industry will contract, and the only ones who can thrive will be those who truly understand what they’re doing.
Furthermore, there is more to the issue than a lack of work. According to Kaushik, hiring standards for interns and entry-level software engineers have increased significantly since the development of AI. She said, “Those people have to push themselves; even at the beginning of their careers, they have to perform some senior-level roles.” Because they could now employ AI to accomplish the fundamental tasks.
Don’t say goodbye to technical skills just yet
Software engineers, however, might be dissatisfied to hear that technical aptitude is still important if they believe AI will be able to handle their challenges.
Swami from Hatcher+ stated that he still expects his engineers to be proficient coders who can explain what they are doing and grasp complex concepts. Prior to the development of AI technologies, he claimed, software engineers had a stronger foundation since they had “written code from scratch.”
The AI large language model’s hallucinations are currently the main issue. He claimed that just 50 to 60 percent of the time is it accurate. It still calls for extreme caution. You should be able to describe the functionality of the code, line by line, during an interview. He stated, “That’s still very important, that hasn’t changed.”
According to Adrian Goh, cofounder of NodeFlair, an Asian job board for computer professionals, having strong technical roots has become increasingly crucial in the AI era. Strong fundamentals engineers who are committed to lifelong learning and self-improvement are highly valued by companies. These characteristics guarantee adaptation to changing roles and technologies.
Even so, a degree in computer science is still quite useful
According to academics BI talked with, the importance of a computer science degree and the technical abilities that go along with it has not decreased with the development of AI.
AI is not the only topic in computer science, according to Kan Min Yen, an associate professor at the National University of Singapore. He went on to say that a comprehensive computing education’s core principles of software engineering, data management, and security are still necessary for the proper development and application of AI.
Kan stated that although some people might believe that programs like GitHub Copilot will make them outdated, these worries might be exaggerated. He claimed that software engineers may still be useful if they knew how to fix AI tools and were aware of their limitations.
To fix an automobile, you would take it to a mechanic, and to diagnose and repair issues with large language modules (LLMs), like ChatGPT, you would go to someone knowledgeable in math and training techniques, Kan clarified.
According to Bo An, head of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore’s AI division, “a computer science degree’s core value remains robust, and advancements in AI do not erode the value of a computer science degree.”
It was also mentioned that the advancement of AI technology requires a solid understanding of algorithms, data structures, software engineering, and other important fields.
To keep ahead of the curve, aspiring software engineers must embrace AI and focus on their own projects. Nevertheless, in order to succeed in their career, software engineers need to find a difficult balance between improving their basic skills and incorporating AI into their processes.
According to Malan, AI will likely increase the influence of individual software programmers in the near future. If they have a virtual assistant by their side, just think of how many additional features and issues they can implement and fix. In addition, if job seekers haven’t already, Malan suggested that they keep expanding their project portfolio.
As an employer, you may find it helpful to work on your own projects during interviews to demonstrate how you handle challenges.
Expanding one’s knowledge and abilities through lifelong learning, whether official or informal, can also be beneficial, according to Malan. “There will always be something new to learn.”
NTU computer science graduate Tejas Rajagopal said he has been attempting to broaden his skill set in order to increase his employability.
Rajagopal stated, “You can’t just go to classes, watch lectures, and do tutorials and expect to be useful out there.” It is likely that your education will be insufficient if you haven’t completed any tasks or developed anything on your own.
