Is AI Coding a Required Skill in Software Development Today?
If this is the first time you are hearing about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact on society, technology and development, then you have probably been living in the jungle or in outer space! When we consider the influence of AI on the world, the software industry and its career professionals are among the most profoundly impacted segments.
According to Medium, by Some Estimates, developers using AI tools can complete tasks 55% faster, with 85% reporting increased confidence in code quality, and it is estimated that AI-powered development could contribute $1.5 trillion USD to the global GDP by 2030.
When we consider these statistics and predictions, it is clear that AI has had (and will continue to have) a profound impact on software development and software programmers.
If you are working in the software development industry today, it is likely that you have worked on or are going to be asked to work on coding projects that include agentic AI tools like Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub, Copilot and others.
Not so long ago, AI was a tool to support and help programmers but, today, these tools can handle tasks for a developer and free them to perform other tasks. Programmers who have embraced AI technologies now consider AI a co-pilot, helping them navigate to the conclusion of a project, and quickly create sophisticated, complex code and features that are accurate and secure.
Today’s AI is less like a summer intern or a ‘gopher’ on a construction site, and more like a partner. It goes beyond ‘suggestions’ to consider the WHY, and bases its findings on large language models (LLMs) that digest, analyze and understand context and appropriateness.
But, before you become too concerned, it is important to consider the very real need for human intervention, programmer knowledge and insight and the ‘human’ factor. AI can, and will, offer a solution, and that solution may be appropriate and well-conceived, but human developers still need to review outcomes and use their knowledge and experience to decide whether a certain approach works or whether there is risk involved. Review, validation and editing are crucial, as is a human understanding of context and purpose.
As a programmer, that means you must understand how AI logic works and use your experience and training to ensure compliance, security and understanding of the goals and purpose of the project.
At the heart of software development excellence lies a team of people, processes and tools that support creativity, logic, structure and results. AI can build a structure, establish integration points, coral and analyze data and design a user interface (UI), but it is likely to miss some of the finer points and subtle aspects of security, error handling, accessibility, etc. AI lacks the human dedication, perseverance and work ethic and contextual experience. That’s where you come in!
As a human developer, working with AI, your ability to acquire the tools, learn their limitations and strengths, and then combine those with your own experience, knowledge of best practices and governance and guidance skills, will allow you to progress in your career while, at the same time, using tools and technologies that make your job easier and get the job done more quickly.
AI can help you optimize performance, identify patterns and address those appropriately, revise and simplify loops and clean up code. It can act as a tutor to suggest solutions and explain reasoning so that it is easier to follow and understand the concepts presented. You can use these tools to generate test cases, documentation, and even presentations that address how the solution will satisfy user requirements. With appropriate input and an understanding of the target audience, AI can produce output to support the project, the client, training documentation etc.
As a first time AI programmer, it is wise to consider AI recommendations and suggestions as an opportunity, to review the proposed solutions and ensure that there are no inappropriate shortcuts or errors. Think of yourself as a college professor reviewing a paper on a subject you know well. Look for the errors, the incorrect assumptions, etc.
While there is no doubt that AI will continue to evolve, and that its evolution will allow the tools to become more useful and more automated, it is also undeniable that, at the end of the day, AI serves the human population, whether that population is a customer base or a development team. The issue is less about code and the endless details and variables, and more about making the process more efficient, more accurate and more timely. The human factor is critical, and the role of a human programmer will continue to evolve as a manager, an experienced pair of eyes to review, advise, and ensure appropriateness and context are considered as the project moves forward toward completion.
Just as a great sports coach or professor can guide, teach and analyze based on their own experience and knowledge, the new world of AI coding and programming will require developers who can bring these skills to bear, embrace sophisticated tools and add those tools to augment, support and improve the outcome for the team, the client and the solution.
Contact Us to find out more about our AI Technology Capabilities and Review our White Paper, ‘What Is AI And How Can It Help My Business?,’ and our Blog article, ‘Improve Apps And Software With Artificial Intelligence.’
