Why the best developers of tomorrow will not only code – they will organize, coordinate and order AI
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While AI continues to take more and more new skills, junior coding, as we knew, quickly becomes something in the past. The tasks that were previously bread and butter for junior developers – such as repetitive scripts, HTML arrangement or simple devops configurations – are now reliably managed by AI assistants like Chatgpt, Github Copilot and Amazon Codwhisperrer.
It is not only an upgrade of speed and efficiency – here we are examining a serious structural change. So where does that leave entry-level developers? And, speaking more widely, where does it leave the software industry as a whole?
The starter level at the run
For decades, software engineering as a field had a fairly predictable route: starting with the basics, building certain destination pages, writing test cases, resolving minor bugs. As your skills develop, you can go to architectural thinking and possession of products.
But now, AI considerably changes the way in which the lower end of this scale works, as it can perform most junior level tasks alone.
Consequently, beginners entering the industry are increasingly invited to contribute to a level that required years of experience. It is no longer just a question of writing code – it is a question of understanding the systems, structuring problems and working alongside AI as a member of the team. It is a major challenge. That said, I think there is a way to follow. It starts by changing our way of learning.
If you start, avoid counting on AI to get things done. It’s tempting, of course, but in the long term, it is also harmful. If you ignore manual practice, you fail to understand the functioning of the software. This understanding is essential if you want to become the type of developer who can direct, architect and guide AI instead of being replaced by it.
The way I see it, in the near future, the most precious people of technology will not be those who write perfect code. They will be those who know what should be built, why it is important and how to get an AI system to do most of the work properly and effectively. In other words, the Coder of Tomorrow is more like a product manager with solid technical expertise.
The teams also change
Based on everything we have covered above, I also feel the need to emphasize that it is not only people who need to rethink their roles. Whole teams change. Where we once had clearly defined roles – frontal developer, Back -End specialist, Devops engineer, test QA – We will soon see a developer managing an entire pipeline using AI.
The AI-increase developers will replace the major teams that were previously necessary to advance a project. In terms of efficiency, there is much to celebrate this change – reduction in communication time, faster results and higher bars for what a person can accomplish realistically.
But, of course, this does not mean that the teams will disappear completely. It’s just that the structure will change. Collaboration will focus more on strategic decisions, the alignment of products and the guarantee that AI tools are used in a responsible and efficient manner. The human contribution will be less on the implementation and more on the management.
AI creates a new career path
If we look at five to seven years in advance, I suspect that the idea of a “developer” as we know it today will be transformed into something else. We will probably see more hybrid roles – parties developer, partly designer, thinker of products in part. As already mentioned, the main part of the work will not be to write code, but to shape ideas in work software using AI as the main creation tool. Or maybe, even as a co-creator.
Being technically fluid will remain a crucial requirement – but it will not be enough to know how to code. You will have to understand the thought of the products, the needs of the users and how to manage the exit of the AI. It will be more of the design of the system and strategic vision.
For some, it may seem intimidating, but for others, it will also open many doors. People with creativity and talent for problem solving will have enormous opportunities in front of them.
The landscape is evolving, yes – there is no exhaust to this fact. But for those who wish to adapt, you could say that it changes in their favor. The end of junior coding is not the end of learning. It is a sign that we must reconsider the type of talent that we cultivate, how we structure the teams and what makes someone a great developer.
In my opinion, instead of crying the loss of basic tasks, the industry as a whole should focus on creating skills that cannot be automated. At least, not yet. This means implementing a hybrid approach and learning to work with AI as a partner rather than as a competitor.
Roman Eloshvili is the founder of CONFECTRECONTROL.
