by Nicolas Aidoud
The question of whether AI will make human programmers obsolete or turn everyone into coders in the next five years has been widely debated. However, various indicators suggest that AI is surpassing human coders in certain areas. For instance, OpenAI’s ChatGPT has successfully passed Google’s exam for high-level software developers. Additionally, GitHub reports that 46% of code is now built using Copilot, an AI-powered developer tool. Moreover, DeepMind’s AlphaCode AI has outperformed human programmers in a competition.
In my opinion, instead of eliminating the need for coders, the rise of AI technology is more likely to democratize coding and empower anyone to become a coder. Generative AI coding enables individuals to express their desired outcomes in natural language, which the AI then converts into usable code. This accessibility makes coding attainable for non-technical professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and small business owners. A great example is how people can now prompt ChatGPT to generate Visual Basic code for creating PowerPoint presentations.
I still believe that learning to code is valuable as it fosters computational thinking, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking. While AI can understand human language, effectively collaborating with AI and harnessing its power requires proficiency in the language of AI. Those who possess programming knowledge will have an advantage in effectively working with AI.
The most successful coders of the future will be those who can leverage AI tools to automate workflows, expedite learning, and boost productivity. AI-enabled programming becomes a superpower for both newcomers and experienced coders. Studies have demonstrated that developers using AI assistants can complete tasks more efficiently, and partnering with AI significantly enhances programming performance.
By democratizing coding and augmenting the capabilities of human coders through AI, we accelerate technological advancements and enhance our problem-solving capabilities. The quantity and quality of code and solutions produced are increasing, leading to groundbreaking innovations powered by AI.