The buzz around artificial intelligence seems to be settling down. The waves caused by the launch of ChatGPT and Gemini are now not as strong. However, there is no denying the fact that the technological vertical is going through a huge transformation.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is becoming more and more sophisticated each day. Studies and rapid advancements are being made to make AI more useful and relevant for almost every individual and industry out there.
However, the wide adoption of AI has also given rise to concerns regarding the role of humans getting replaced by technology. ‘Will AI take away jobs?’ is one of the most asked questions about AI.
Developers are especially concerned about their future as many assume that AI will replace developers. AI has already started altering the mobile app development landscape and it is tough to measure its full impact and scope as far as the future is concerned. However, it surely can be discussed.
If this topic interests you as much as it intrigues us, you are in the right place. Continue reading and dive with us in this journey where we discuss the dynamics between AI and app developers. Explore where the future is headed and plan accordingly.
In this blog
- AI in app development: An overview
- Impact of AI on programming and developers
- AI vs Human Developers: The verdict
- Frequently asked questions
AI in app development: An overview
Let us first start with understanding the scope of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in app development.
The demand for artificial intelligence is higher than ever, and mobile app development is one of the key areas where AI technology is being utilized liberally. This is true for all kinds of mobile applications being built for a range of industries.
Today, the market is flooded with AI solutions that are enabling business owners and developers to create software in a faster and easier environment. This is changing the dynamics of the software market as the share of AI is growing rapidly.
As per Statista, the Artificial Intelligence market is projected to reach 184 billion US dollars in 2024. It is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2030) of 28.46 percent, resulting in an estimated market volume of 826.70 billion US dollars by 2030. These numbers only highlight the growing prowess of AI technology.
Companies around the globe are adopting or considering adopting AI tools and technologies. This is also true for companies that want apps. Thus, developers with a traditional approach may find it challenging to survive smoothly in the market that is demanding change.
Developers must make peace with the fact that AI is modifying the app development industry for the better. To summarize, AI is empowering many segments related to app development and impacting the industry in the following ways:
- AI-driven platforms like DeepCode are enabling people to auto-generate code snippets, check existing codes for errors, and even write full-scale code blocks. This is making the task easier for coders and developers.
- AI tools like Appium and Test.ai are expediting and enhancing the app testing processes. These tools automate app testing by simulating user interactions and device environments.
- AI is making it easier to process large amounts of data, thus enabling app creators to understand market scenarios, user behavior and expectations, and other aspects critical to building user-friendly and viable applications.
These are only a few among many examples of how AI is making the app development industry more advanced and sophisticated. Developers and companies are embracing AI and integrating it into their traditional infrastructure to augment their capabilities.
Impact of AI on programming and developers
AI has made significant changes in the programming industry and impacted developers in many ways. Here are the key changes in the industry that can be credited to AI:
Enhanced productivity
Developers around the world have already started leveraging AI to increase their productivity. 92 percent of developers in the US are already using AI coding tools both in and outside of work. AI technology is allowing them to create code blocks faster, automate repetitive tasks, audit codes for error-free work, and more. AI has reduced the time that was spent on grunt work and routine tasks and given developers the freedom to spend time on creative aspects of their work.
Better code quality
AI tools are now capable of identifying errors and potential vulnerabilities in code. Such tools often come with smart testing environments leading to better performance and outcomes. In fact, 70 percent of developers agree that AI coding tools offer them an advantage at work leading to better code quality, faster delivery, and so on. Evidently, AI is making their task easier and more streamlined.
Optimized resource usage
Statistics show that AI tools are helping companies save a lot of money and resources. A survey of American business leaders found that around a quarter of the companies had saved between 50 thousand to 70 thousand US dollars by using ChatGPT. Thus, we can safely assume that AI can help developers optimize their resource usage and allocate it in a viable manner. It can augment their entire workflows and lead to better infrastructure management.
Less organizational silos
The technical or IT staff in most companies often do not get the time to interact or collaborate with other departments such as marketing, data analysis, and so on. This often leads to silos that ultimately affect the overall quality of work. However, AI can collect and process an insane amount of data and make it available as and when needed. More than 4 out of 5 developers expect that AI coding tools can make their team more collaborative. This can eventually increase the overall performance of the teams.
New job and upskilling opportunities
The World Economic Forum (WEF) report predicts that AI will replace 85 million jobs by 2025. However, the same report states that it will also create 97 million new jobs. As AI integration will increase, the demand for programmers who can work with AI will also increase. Thus, we can say that AI is also inspiring programmers to get rid of obsolete and traditional ways and upgrade their skills to grab the opportunities that will be created due to the rise of AI.
Suggested Read: How to build an AI app? Beginner’s guide to AI app development
AI vs Human Developers: The verdict
As evident by the points discussed above, AI is not a curse for programmers. So far, the AI takeover is just an imagined scenario. Just like computers did not completely eliminate the role of humans, AI is not going to make programmers completely obsolete (at least not in the near future).
Every emerging technology leads to some chaos and confusion and the case is the same with AI. However, contrary to popular belief, AI is pushing developers to upgrade their skills and think of ways of leveraging the technology for the better.
AI is a product of human genius and creativity, and it would be wrong to call it superior to human intelligence. However, it is certainly taking over tasks that were once done by humans and is doing it flawlessly.
While we agree with AI’s excellence, we also cannot deny the fact that it still suffers from the challenges of bias, discrimination, data privacy & security hazards, ethical concerns, and so on. It depends highly on the data quality and is still pretty complex and tough to implement for many out there.
On the contrary, human developers are still trusted by businesses around the world to understand the assigned task and deliver accordingly. Human programmers have an empathetic understanding of what their customers want and can use their own creativity to make their products better and unique.
Thus, we can say that instead of making it a war between AI and human talent, we should see it as an opportunity. Developers and businesses can incorporate AI technology to increase their speed and quality of work and produce more effective results within limited means.
Developers can work in synergy with AI tools to automate repetitive tasks and make their work flawless and error-free. Whereas businesses can continue to empower their developers to focus on the creative and critical aspects without worrying about the cyclic grunt work.
Wrapping up!
In our previous blog, we discussed AI vs SaaS and the trajectory of the software landscape. Today’s piece focused on the human side of this tussle as we explored how AI augmentation will affect the future of mobile app developers.
As evident, programmers and developers will have to evolve themselves and adapt to the changing needs of technology. Instead of fearing AI, developers should learn to collaborate with automation platforms and AI tools and increase their productivity and performance.
Alternatively, you can also try out DIY and no-code app development platforms like AppMySite. Most of them have been around for a while now and are trusted by developers for fast and streamlined application development.
The most important thing is to do your research and not be blown away by the hype. Leverage AI to increase your potential and make the most of the opportunities available out there. Launch unique and viable applications that offer value for money and appeal to your end users.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between AI engineers and software developers?
AI engineering and software development belong to the same technological realm and are intertwined disciplines. However, the jobs of AI engineers and software developers differ at the core. AI engineers specialize in crafting and deploying intelligent systems and machine learning models. This primarily involves dealing with a lot of datasets.
Software developers, on the other hand, deal with designing, coding, testing, and maintaining software applications. Based on specialization, software developers may have expertise in Android development, iPhone app development, website development, and so on.
Is AI a bubble?
It is too soon to call AI just a bubble. Besides, AI is a promising technology that has been around for years now. Its prowess is growing with time and there are significant advancements being made in the field. However, the unnecessary hype, mindless investments in AI tools, and the urgency among businesses to become AI-powered (or at least claim so) are definitely leading to a bubble-like situation.
To prevent this, businesses must be more conscious before investing their resources in any AI product or technology. Pick solutions with sustainable business models that ensure scalability and value for money.
Will AI replace developers?
It is difficult (and nearly impossible) to predict the future of AI and the tech world at large. However, as of now, AI is not in a position to replace developers. In fact, developers around the world are embracing AI technologies and upgrading their skills to adapt to the growing and changing demands of technology. This is not a new phenomenon. New and emerging technologies have always been replacing the old obsolete ones.
Contrary to popular belief, these technologies have created demands for developers and engineers that can contribute to their expansion. Thus, all developers need to do is to keep upgrading themselves. As long as they can work in tandem with AI technology, they should not be worried.
