Predictions about AI's impact on tech are all over the place. I'm a bit late for this party, but it's better late than never, isn't it?
Some say AI will completely replace developers, while others say developers will be the only ones left standing. I think it's complicated and changing faster than we might think.
Will AI replace developers? Not right now, but the pace of change is impressive. LLMs are getting better at writing code every month. Although AI tools (GitHub Copilot, Cursor, etc.) shine with greenfield projects (that's why demos focus on building things from scratch), they're also starting to handle existing code better.
Building software is complex: You must read product requirements and design files, create technical plans that fit past decisions, and then build features using your company's existing tools and code. While AI still struggles with this entire process, many companies now train AI on their private code and documentation. This means AI is starting to learn specific company practices, not just public code from the internet. But we're still years away from AI being able to do all of that alone.
There's something called the "last mile problem" - AI often does 80% of the work, but fixing the remaining 20% can take longer than writing everything yourself. Each new AI model gets better at writing complete, working code, but we're not yet at the point where AI can deliver perfect solutions.
System maintenance and problem-solving are changing, too. New AIOps platforms can monitor systems, respond to problems, and help determine why things went wrong. However, they still need developers to make the final decisions and handle complex issues that don't fit standard patterns.
But what about the opposite idea - will developers with AI tools make other jobs unnecessary? No. While developers can do more than ever, building good software needs different types of experts. AI can learn from company data, but human experts bring something unique: they can create new solutions that aren't in any database or training data. They also ensure the software is coherent, which is hard for an LLM to accomplish now.
The future of development looks interesting. Instead of clear job boundaries, we'll likely see more mixing of roles. Product managers might write simple scripts, support teams might fix technical problems, and developers might become more like AI trainers or operators. The tools are becoming easier to use - you might not even need special training to work with AI in the future.
For developers, this means two things: We'll get more work done faster, but we'll also need to adapt our skills. It's not just about writing code anymore - it's about knowing how to guide AI tools effectively, verify their output, and handle the complex problems AI can't solve yet.
AI is changing development faster than many expect, but it's not about replacement but transformation. Yes, we might need fewer developers for basic tasks in the future. But we'll need developers who can work with AI, understand complex systems, and solve problems AI can't handle alone. The job will change, but good developers who keep learning and adapting will stay valuable.
The key is to stay realistic and adaptable. AI is impressive and improving fast, but it's still a tool that needs human guidance. Instead of worrying about replacement, focus on learning how to work effectively with these new tools. The future of development isn't humans vs AI - it's humans and AI working together in ways we're just starting to understand.