06 March 2024

The Potential Displacement of Certain Roles by AI in Software Industry

Claude 3 has been released few days ago and seems to have an exceptional capabilities in analysis and forecasting.

I asked it the following question:

according to the AI progress, provide a reasonable scenario on how the software engineering industry will look like on 1 year, 3 years and 5 years from now and how it will impact the people who work on this industry, Developers, QA, Product, Project, etc.

Here is Claud's answer:

"The software engineering industry is set to undergo significant changes in the coming years driven by the rapid progress in artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies. Here's a reasonable scenario for how the industry might evolve over the next 1, 3, and 5 years, and how it could impact various roles within the industry:

1 Year from now (March 2025):

  • Increased adoption of AI-assisted coding tools, which can suggest code snippets, detect and fix bugs, and optimize code performance. This will help developers write code faster and with fewer errors.
  • Wider use of low-code/no-code platforms, allowing non-technical users to create basic applications without extensive coding knowledge.
  • Automated testing and quality assurance (QA) tools will become more sophisticated, reducing the need for manual testing efforts.
  • Project management tools will incorporate AI-powered features for task prioritization, risk assessment, and resource allocation.

Impact:

  • Developers will need to adapt to working closely with AI assistants and learn to effectively utilize AI-powered coding tools.
  • QA professionals may see a reduction in manual testing workloads but will need to focus more on developing test strategies for AI-driven systems.
  • Product managers and project managers will need to understand the capabilities and limitations of AI-powered tools to make informed decisions.

3 Years from now (March 2027):

  • AI-generated code will become more commonplace, with AI systems capable of producing production-ready code for specific tasks or domains.
  • AI-powered code review and refactoring tools will gain widespread adoption, improving code quality and maintainability.
  • Increased use of AI-powered requirements gathering and analysis tools, helping to bridge the gap between business requirements and technical implementation.
  • AI-driven project planning and resource allocation tools will become more advanced, optimizing project timelines and resource utilization.

Impact:

  • Developers may need to shift focus towards higher-level tasks like architecture design, system integration, and domain-specific problem-solving.
  • QA professionals will need to develop expertise in testing AI-generated code and AI-driven systems.
  • Product managers and project managers will rely more heavily on AI-powered tools for requirements gathering, analysis, and project planning.

5 Years from now (March 2029):

  • AI systems will be capable of handling end-to-end software development tasks for certain domains or applications, from requirements gathering to coding, testing, and deployment.
  • AI-powered software development platforms will become mainstream, offering a unified environment for AI-assisted coding, testing, and deployment.
  • AI-driven software optimization and performance tuning tools will become prevalent, improving application efficiency and scalability.
  • AI-powered security testing and vulnerability detection tools will become more advanced, enhancing software security.

Impact:

  • Developers may need to specialize in specific domains or technologies where human expertise is still required, or transition into roles like AI system trainers, AI model developers, or AI system integrators.
  • QA professionals will need to develop expertise in testing AI-driven software development tools and platforms, as well as AI-generated code.
  • Product managers and project managers will need to deeply understand the capabilities and limitations of AI-powered software development platforms and tools to effectively manage projects and make strategic decisions.

It's important to note that the pace of AI progress and adoption may vary, and there could be unforeseen developments or challenges that alter these scenarios. Additionally, the software engineering industry will need to address ethical concerns, such as bias in AI systems, data privacy, and the potential displacement of certain roles by AI."

I was using the Claude 3 'Sonnet ' version which is updated till August 2023. BTW, when asking Claude about a headline for this article, it suggested: "Code Monkeys Beware: AI is Coming for Your Bananas!".