AI in Coding: Will AI Replace Coders or Developers?

As the rise of AI creates concerns over job loss, the presence of AI in coding does not threaten coders and developers.

• AI lacks the ability to replicate the creativity and innovation needed in coding and software development.
• Developers deeply understand clients’ industries and interpret user needs to create software solutions that AI cannot replicate.
• AI can’t make moral judgments which are crucial to software development.

Many people felt like their jobs were slipping away in the wake of AI., and those feelings are perfectly valid. At the end of the day, automation has a history of altering patterns of employment. Instead of interacting with a bank teller to withdraw and deposit your cash into the bank, you now seek your closest automated teller machine (ATM). But the main difference here is that AI is not here to replace, but rather support and enhance human performance. Coders and developers, in particular, are part of the demographic that could greatly benefit from an extra pair of eyes, an artificial pair. AI in coding assists rather than hinders the work.

Creativity

While I may not be an expert in coding and software development, I do understand that these fields require an extraordinary level of creativity and innovation. You see, a developer’s job goes beyond writing code. They must come up with original ideas and solutions to complex problems. Although AI in coding can help with tasks such as code generation and debugging, it lacks the ability to do either of these two very crucial tasks. It all comes down to the level of creativity needed that AI is just incapable of replicating.

Contextual Understanding

There are companies out there that tailor-make software for their specific clients. So, it is safe to say that developers possess a deep understanding of the domain/industry in which the software will be used. It is my understanding from speaking to a number of developers that they look into the business goals, the user needs, and the technical constraints of the project as needed to create software. Although AI can be trained on large datasets for pattern recognition, it lacks contextual understanding. Developers, on the other hand, interpret user needs and translate them into software solutions.

Ethical considerations

Now, THIS is the game changer. Humans are complicated creatures, and what makes them complicated is the nuances of their morality. AI’s “morality,” and I use this term loosely here, is either black or white, unlike humans. And making ethical decisions is an indivisible part of software development.

Allow me to explain.

The priority for software developers is ensuring the safety and security of the products, not to mention respecting user privacy. Another dimension of this is potential impact considerations. They study the possible ramifications of their innovations, including:

• Bias
• Fairness
• Accountability
• Transparency

But Can’t AI be Trained?

Technically, yes.

Programmers can indeed train AI to make decisions based on specific sets of rules and data. Think of ChatGPT’s censoring of offensive content. But there is an important distinction to make here: AI in coding lacks the ability to understand ethical considerations and make moral judgments. Analyzing complex ethical issues requires a level of human judgment and reasoning that AI is currently unable to replicate. Humans are a weird mixture of logic and emotions which affect their perspective. It is something that this technology cannot replicate regardless of training.

Final Thoughts

Automation cannot replace coders, developers, or even software engineers. It can, however, support their work. Have you ever written a code? That stuff is confusing. Imagine misplacing a coma or something along those lines and then having to go look for it like it’s “Where’s Waldo? Software Development Edition.” But in all seriousness, AI in coding is capable of great things but not human judgement, especially in delicate situations like software.

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