Generative AI won’t render coding dead in the water, but 80% of software engineers must upskill by 2027 to keep up with the revolution: “Building AI-empowered software will demand a new breed of a software professional, the AI engineer”

Generative AI won't render coding dead in the water, but 80% of software engineers must upskill by 2027 to keep up with the revolution: "Building AI-empowered software will demand a new breed of a software professional, the AI engineer"

What you need to know

  • A new study suggests 80% of software developers will need to upskill to keep up with AI advances in their field.
  • Gartner claims AI won’t steal jobs from software engineers as “Human expertise and creativity will always be essential to delivering complex, innovative software.”
  • Next-gen AI tools like OpenAI’s GPT-4o and OpenAI-o1 benchmarks show that the technology is advancing rapidly and redefining the whole concept, as they can write and detect errors in code in seconds. 

As a seasoned tech enthusiast with years of experience under my belt, I must admit that the future of coding is shaping up to be quite fascinating and, dare I say, a bit unpredictable. The rapid advancements in AI technology, as showcased by the impressive capabilities of OpenAI’s GPT-4o and OpenAI-o1, are undeniably reshaping the landscape of software development.


Looking ahead, the role of a coder in the next generation might significantly evolve due to the increasing influence of generative AI. As suggested by Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman, it’s plausible that in about 24 months or so, many developers may not be writing code as we know it today. Instead, they could focus more on designing and managing AI systems that generate their own code, streamlining the development process.

As an analyst, I find myself aligning with Jensen Huang’s perspective: the rise of AI could potentially relegate traditional coding skills to the background. Rather than clinging to coding, I encourage exploration of diverse fields such as biology, education, manufacturing, and agriculture for rewarding career paths in this rapidly evolving technological landscape.

It’s common knowledge that AI models are continually improving their ability to tackle intricate tasks such as creating detailed design structures and identifying and correcting code errors. The advanced versions of OpenAI’s GPT-4o and OpenAI-o1 come equipped with superior programming capabilities. As per data presented by the developer of ChatGPT, the latter has a success rate of 90-100% in passing OpenAI’s coding interview for research engineers.

Is AI a fad, or is the world on the verge of the biggest technological breakthrough with its widespread adoption? While these aspects remain debatable, a new study by  Gartner shares more insight into the future of software engineering with the prevalence of AI (via ITPro). 

Based on the research findings, around 80% of software engineers are expected to require additional training or upskilling by the year 2027, in order to stay current with the swift technological developments happening within the AI field. The study also outlines three different timeframes for this learning process: short-term, medium-term, and long-term.

From a temporary viewpoint, AI technology is expected to significantly increase the efficiency of software developers by taking over routine and repetitive duties. This trend is currently underway, with senior developers being likely the initial recipients of these productivity gains.

In the upcoming stage, we can expect AI systems to autonomously handle certain programming tasks in software engineering. This transition marks the onset of a significant revolution, paving the way for software engineering that is inherently powered by AI. Consequently, a large proportion of code being written will be generated by AI.

Ultimately, as time goes on, it’s expected that an increasing number of organizations will adopt AI coding. This trend will create a high demand for skilled developers who specialize in areas like natural language processing and generation (NLP/RAG) to develop AI-based software solutions.

According to Gartner’s Senior Principal Analyst Philip Walsh:

In this age dominated by artificial intelligence, software developers are expected to embrace an ‘AI-centric’ approach. This means that they should prioritize guiding AI systems towards the appropriate context and limitations for each specific task.

The institution recommends investing in AI developer platforms to future-proof organizations, ultimately allowing them to build AI capabilities. Walsh indicated that this call for upskilling in data engineering.

AI won’t render software developers jobless, but there’s a dire need for upskilling

Generative AI won't render coding dead in the water, but 80% of software engineers must upskill by 2027 to keep up with the revolution: "Building AI-empowered software will demand a new breed of a software professional, the AI engineer"

In contrast to common perceptions, AI isn’t likely to replace coding jobs entirely, rendering software developers unemployed. Instead, AI is expected to transform the coding landscape by automating certain tasks. As AI advances and grows in power, developers will find it necessary to adapt and enhance their skillset to stay abreast of these technological changes.

According to Walsh

“Human expertise and creativity will always be essential to delivering complex, innovative software.”

Remarkably, the conclusions drawn from this study seem to resonate with Microsoft’s recent Work Trend Index findings. These findings suggest that contrary to common assumptions, Artificial Intelligence (AI) actually fosters job opportunities. However, this growth in employment doesn’t exclude the necessity for professionals to demonstrate proficiency in AI. This has led to a significant surge in LinkedIn members enhancing their profiles with skills such as Copilot and ChatGPT.

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2024-10-07 18:12