Generative AI has taken the world by storm. Yes, we’re talking about Open AI’s ChatGPT. With other companies like Google and Microsoft introducing Bard and AI-powered Bing, this space is only getting hotter! So, does this mean that AI is going to replace software developers? Or can the software developers use generative AI to improve their own productivity?
Before we dig deeper into this, let’s take an example of the calculator. When the calculator was invented, it didn’t replace expert mathematicians. In fact, it aided them to make more advancements in the field. In other words, it’s up to the user how to use technology.
Every technology is aimed to improve the efficiency of its users. AI is no different. Using generative AI, software developers can increase their productivity, write better code, and meet high user expectations.
Generative AI can improve developers’ productivity by 10 folds!
A prediction by Ark Invest states that AI can boost developers’ performance and increase their productivity by up to 10 folds! Jobs that require recurring coding can be automated with the help of AI. This can reduce the turnaround time for writing code from scratch thus enhancing the productivity of software developers. Developers can utilize this time and create codes that require creative thinking that only a human mind is capable of. They can leverage AI to check for syntax errors, write clean code, debug code, and many more basic requirements.
As we know, resuing a code can accelerate the software development process. Developers can also use generative AI to enhance code reusability. Generative AI can find the section of the code that can be reused and can tailor it to meet the requirements of another software development process.
Generative AI and software development: Don’t fear AI
Marko Anastov, the co-founder of Semaphore CI/CD states that generative AI tools such as ChatGPT have created fear amongst the developer community. He says that some developers are worried that AI will take their jobs, while others are completely ignoring it. Both approaches are wrong, according to Anastov. He says that developers should integrate AI into their workflow to increase their productivity. GitHub Copilot is a great example of this. The AI I pair programmer has proven beneficial to write clean code faster. The GitHub Copilot is powered by OpenAI’s Codex which is a generative language model.
Generative AI and software development can go hand-in-hand, but AI cannot completely perform the tasks on its own. Currently, AI is powered by the data that is fed to it, and not by any human intelligence. Generative AIs like ChatGPT lack the understanding of the human context of computing. Therefore, it requires software developers to add more details and create an appropriate experience through the software.
One thing that ChatGPT and other generative AI have and will keep on improving is the way they interact with the user. If you have a software application that requires interaction with the user using a search bar or something like that, you will have to upgrade it.
You can integrate generative AI into your software applications to improve the way you interact with your users.
Generative AI cannot write the whole code on its own! You need to intervene!
While the AI is already writing codes and creating apps, it is simply scanning through the already provided database to do so. To create a breakthrough or to execute more sophisticated codes, software developers will have to intervene.
They can use AI to create basic code and enhance it according to the requirements using their own skills. If you’re a software developer reading this, this is the time to enhance your tech stack with AI development skills.
Finding syntax errors in a code is troublesome, use AI for that!
So you have written a long code but it’s not working for some reason. Now, this could be because of a syntax error or something like that. But finding these small errors is a tough task. Let AI do it for you. Generative AI is capable of finding syntax errors in a code using machine learning techniques. Generative AI tools like DeepCode scans your code and recommend fixes for the syntax errors in your code thus improving your productivity.
Developers, don’t be weary of generative AI at all!
We’re saying it again! Generative AI and software development are meant to complement and not replace each other. You need to understand that AI can perform a certain set of functions. But this performance is still limited to the data that is made available to it. AI will require constant enhancements which will require human intervention, and even then, there will be some complex tasks that only humans can perform. You don’t have to fear AI, you have to use it for your own good. Keep improving your tech stack by adding skills that are required by the AI industry. There are plenty of AI-related opportunities waiting for you out there.
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Will generative AI take over developers? Absolutely not! Software developers can use generative AI to increase productivity and write better codes, here’s how.
Ritvik is a copywriter and content writer who has worked with fast-scaling startups such as GoMechanic and Pitstop. He runs his own automotive blog as well.
