Will ChatGPT replace software developers? Probably not

Since the release of ChatGPT, there has been a lot of hype around generative AI and how companies can use it to reduce costs and democratize software and application development. Naturally, along with the discussion of cost reduction and democratization came talk of what would happen to software developers.

It's a real and valid concern, but the skills, experience and creativity of software developers are still very much needed.

While generative AI and AI code generation tools such as ChatGPT have shown some promise and potential benefits, they are still in their infancy, like many other innovative technological advances. We also don't know what scenarios they may present in the future and what their true capabilities will be when the technology becomes more mature. For example, how will it integrate with other technologies? We don't know what will happen if a ChatGPT-generated line of code breaks or needs to be changed. We don't know if it can provide a new solution to a unique problem or what security threats it will pose.

Given these unknown factors, technology executives should think twice about replacing experienced and creative technology professionals, such as software developers, with AI code generators.

Will ChatGPT create new code to solve a unique problem that has never been seen before? Probably not.

A tale as old as time (or at least a decade)

The technology industry has been looking for and developing new ways to simplify and optimize some software development tasks for many years. One example of this is low-code/no-code .

The idea of simplifying application development and replacing software developers with non-professionals (citizen developers) has been around for over a decade as low-code and no-code solutions have become increasingly popular. These solutions promise that companies don't need technical experts to run their software and application development projects.

However, if you look at the implications of these solutions today, they can lead to a lot of technical debt and almost always require the skills of experienced software developers.

The reason? Creating complex software and applications is extremely difficult, it's an art form.

Low-code and no-code solutions have their rightful place and can simplify the work if a company wants to launch a simple application or a static web page. These solutions can increase the pace of development and time-to-market, as well as enable ordinary people with no development skills. However, they are not really a complete solution and often overlook aspects of development that are usually handled by a human software developer. Without the involvement of a skilled professional, low/no-code platforms often can't solve the unique problem a company has.

So what does this have to do with AI code generators like ChatGPT? Here's how.

It's a similar situation - with one key difference

When you think about their place in the development process, AI code generators are not that different from low- or no-code solutions. They are also expected to enable non-technical people to easily create software and applications.

However, there is one key difference - they promise expertise. But what is the expertise - the AI code generator or the person controlling it? The answer is simple: not from the code generator.

There have been examples of companies and individuals who have tried to use ChatGPT to create code, and, as it turns out, successfully. However, without the involvement of the people using this program, it would never have been able to create code on its own, without prompting.

This means that the expertise of skilled software developers is still very much needed, especially when creating complex programs and applications that require sophisticated functionality such as optical character recognition (OCR), Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, and more.

The future with software developers

Because expertise is still required to create complex and innovative software and applications, AI code generators will not replace software developers anytime soon, if at all.

The technology used in these tools is still in its infancy, creating many questions and potential problems. We will see how this is borne out by the trials and tribulations faced by the few companies and executives who are trying to replace software development teams with tools like ChatGPT.

Since AI code generators are on the same path as low-code and now-code solutions, companies and executives should use them as tools for developers. These tools should complement the work of software developers, allowing them to focus on the complex tasks that modern programs and applications require.