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.