It’s common knowledge that automated systems are gradually displacing humans. But what about the actual labor involved in making machines? Could robots one day replace human beings? Will automated programming become the new normal?

The evolution of programming has resulted in more human-like features in today’s programs. The World Economic Forum recently forecasted that artificial intelligence (AI) would eventually replace a large portion of developers, including programmers..1 However, programming will evolve into a completely different state and no longer threaten human existence.4

The future of programming will involve humans; let’s investigate the possibility.

Advantages of Automation in Programming

Will code be written automatically in the future? Can we expect that in the not-too-distant future? 

The quick response is “yes.” When it comes to software engineering, humans will eventually delegate most programming tasks to AI. 

The use of automated tools has made programmers more productive than before. Here’s how automation is changing programming:2 

  • AI helps reduce the time taken to write programs by resolving repetitive, mindless activities. Errors and invalid codes can be inspected by AI. Auto-complete provides quick suggestions as you type code. This makes it much easier to read and understand codes that span hundreds of pages. Why wouldn’t you enjoy it?
  • Programmers spend hours getting a product to run, only to discover errors afterwards. This is time-consuming and they are under great pressure to deliver. Defects may not kill the project, but they can surely delay the launch.

Artificial intelligence can read through hundreds of lines of code faster than humans. So, they can get products to market faster without affecting the quality.

  • Humans are known for their creative abilities. The problem is that they aren’t always great at knowing the limits of a programming effort.

AI can take over, streamlining the project management process. It makes use of data from completed projects to make more accurate estimates of future ones. When software engineers report to their superiors, they present more reasonable budgets and time estimates. Furthermore, AI can uncover problems; it can detect frauds and enhance cybersecurity, identify inefficiencies and improve operational performance, and much more.10

Will Automation Replace Humans?

  • Humans won’t be completely phased out by automation, but they will need to adapt. For instance, AI excels at routine jobs. Tell AI to make 100 calculations, and it will do it in no time. AI does not get bored or complain. You can instruct AI to perform hundreds of thousands of calculations. 
  • Organizations still require human input to determine the key aspects of the program and how those features might be applied to specific problems. They are equipped to consider many alternatives and select the most promising one.
  • Coders will stay not to write code but to curate the training data AI utilizes to build code and analyze the resulting ambiguities. 
  • The combination of their knowledge and direction makes them an ideal partner for a novel approach to computer programming.
  • Programmers will need to learn new technologies along with programming languages. Software engineers may find out that these skills set them apart from other applicants when applying for new roles.5, 6,7,8,9

What is the Future for Programmers? 

  • What AI can do for software development is exciting, and it should be welcomed with open arms. It frees up programming time for more high-level, imaginative work by automating repetitive operations. Without compromising precision or introducing new vulnerabilities, developers can safely skip over tedious but unimportant sections of code.
  • There is room for improvement in the technology. Someone needs to check the codes, organize the training data, and make sure the end output is usable software.
  • Developers fluent in several programming languages and methodologies can improve the productivity of coders by creating automation solutions. Employment of humans will continue at least until machines achieve human levels of intelligence.3

The truth is that the future of AI in engineering isn’t one of pure automation, and programmers already know this. There will always be a place for coders in the world. AI only automates often-repetitive operations that allow engineers to get more done in less time and with fewer mistakes. In the end, and despite its apparent contradictions, AI could be seen as an asset to engineers rather than a hindrance. 

Found this article interesting? Read more on BYJU’s Future School blog. 

References 

  1. Don’t fear AI. The tech will lead to long-term job growth. (n.d.). World Economic Forum. Retrieved November 14, 2022, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/dont-fear-ai-it-will-lead-to-long-term-job-growth/
  2. Analytics Insight. (n.d.). Analytics Insight. Retrieved November 14, 2022, from https://www.analyticsinsight.net/will-artificial-intelligence-replace-programmers-in-the-future/
  3. AI Should Augment Human Intelligence, Not Replace It. (2021, March 18). Harvard Business Review. Retrieved November 14, 2022, from https://hbr.org/2021/03/ai-should-augment-human-intelligence-not-replace-it
  4. Automated Coding and the Future of Programming – O’Reilly. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://www.oreilly.com/radar/automated-coding-and-the-future-of-programming/ 
  5. Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humans | Pew Research Center. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/12/10/artificial-intelligence-and-the-future-of-humans/ 
  6. The impact of artificial intelligence on human society and bioethics – PMC. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7605294/ 
  7. Software developers might be obsolete by 2030 | by Ari Joury, PhD | Towards Data Science. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://towardsdatascience.com/software-developers-might-be-obsolete-by-2030-cb5ddbfec291 
  8. The Future of Programming: Will AI Replace Programmers? — Techslang. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://www.techslang.com/will-programmers-become-obsolete-because-of-ai/ 
  9. Will AI-automated code production make human programmers obsolete? – Dataconomy. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://dataconomy.com/2022/09/ai-automated-code-production-programmers/ 
  10. What Problems Can Artificial Intelligence Help Us Solve? – Stefanini. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2022, from https://stefanini.com/en/insights/news/what-problems-can-artificial-intelligence-help-us-solve 
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