Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made much progress over the past decade. This advance has everyone wondering how far it can go. Nowadays, AI systems can generate images in a myriad of different styles from just text. Examples include DALL·E 2, Midjourney, Stability, and Figma's Ghost Artist. Further, neural networks like GPT3 can translate, write, answer questions, and even code!
All this raised concerns about AI taking over creative jobs besides mechanical ones. So how has AI changed Software Development? Will human engineers be a thing of the past? This article will focus on where AI-driven software development stands today. Moreover, we'll review what experts expect the future will bring. But first, let's look at the general concerns on Artificial Intelligence.
How Far Has Artificial Intelligence (AI)Come?
From speech recognition to smart assistants, AI has become an intrinsic part of our lives. 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. Like 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 specialized 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
When it comes to Software Development, Artificial Intelligence has proven beneficial. 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 software development can be a cumbersome task. AI has created various 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 UX design has been positive. It has helped analyze data quicker and provide advanced localization. Also, it aided in taking personalization a step further.
● Coding. Several examples of AI-driven Coding Apps include an "autocomplete" feature. This feature helps boost productivity and improve code accuracy. So, developers have more time for creative edges, like problem-solving and design. Visual Studio Intellicode and GitHub Copilot are a couple of examples of this tech.
● Testing. Software Testing can be pretty time-consuming when done by hand. With AI, developers can quickly develop test cases and conduct regression testing. Some of the existing AI-driven testing tools include Appvance, Testim, and Diffblue.
● Security. AI has brought about enhanced Data Security by investigating data using Machine Learning. This helps detect irregularities and avoid false notifications and alerts. Some examples include Google's email filters and the Balbix Security Cloud platform.
Real-Life Examples of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We've seen what AI is currently contributing to the software development industry. Now, let's turn to two examples of AI-powered programming.
GPT-3 AI
GPT-3 is 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 rather impressive is that it's ten times larger than any other model created before. About this topic, GPT-3 can also generate code in various programming languages. Though the system is still far from perfect, it is expected to take over mundane tasks eventually. In consequence, it could help cut bottlenecks in software production.
DeepCoder AI
DeepCoder is an AI system built by Microsoft and the University of Cambridge. It's a trained neural network to predict program properties through deep learning. In this way, DeepCoder can solve a variety of programming issues as well as write code. DeepCoder's capabilities are currently limited. But, the system is expected to be able to considerably automate coding in a handful of years.
The future of AI-Driven Software Development
Artificial Intelligence has already changed Software Development. Also, it will continue to do so over the next few decades. But how drastic will these changes be? Will programming become automated? Will AI completely replace software developers? Let's explore what the future may bring.
Will AI take over Software Development?
Well, opinions on this topic are somewhat divided. According to Andrej Karpathy, the age of AI will bring about a new way to develop software called Software 2.0. From this stand, the software will be more abstract and won't need human involvement. Instead of writing code, programmers will focus on finding and curating 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 consider AI will empower Software Developers instead of replacing them. This point of view suggests that AI will take over more mundane tasks. 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.
What Obstacles does Artificial Intelligence face?
We have raved about the benefits of artificial intelligence. But, to achieve its full potential, AI must overcome certain obstacles.
● Bias. As the quality of AI systems depends on the data fed, it's essential to consider what data is feeding them. Using "bad" or low-quality data to feed AI can result in biased systems. This data quality includes, for instance, discriminatory assumptions. To avoid this, companies have to invest in control frameworks and techniques.
● Data. Machine Learning requires copious amounts of data. But, readily available training data has limits. Increasing the data we can feed AI systems is either costly or illegal. This poses both a legal and technical hindrance to the growth of AI.
● Resources. Another limited asset is hardware resources. Today, AI algorithms have much larger hardware requirements than traditional software development. This means extra costs.
AI-Driven Development Frequent Questions
Now we've covered where AI stands today and what AI-Driven will bring in the future. So, it's time to dig into some questions about Artificial Intelligence.
Does Artificial Intelligence need Coding?
Yes, Artificial Intelligence is a field of Computer Science. Thus, it most definitely requires coding.
How can Software Developers Stay Relevant in the Age of AI?
If you are a dev worried about staying relevant as AI evolves, there are various skills you can work on. Today, developers skilled in math, statistics, and calculus can benefit from AI projects. Also, Big Data, Machine Learning (ML), Data Science, and Natural Language Processing (NLP) 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! 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. Often, devs are comfortable working both 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, it requires skills in data engineering and exploratory data analysis. 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 good at problem-solving. Finally, Cyber Security 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 on countless developments. 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 mundane tasks. The role of Software Developers is bound to change and adjust as this technology evolves. We are looking forward to seeing what the future brings!
