How to Create a Generation of Super Developers with AI

Will AI replace developers? That’s a concern that I’ve heard a lot from developers recently. They’re worried about how quickly companies are jumping on the AI train, possibly at the expense of developer jobs. At first glance, it seems they have reason to be concerned. However, rather than displacing developers, I strongly believe AI will help developers work smarter and faster, becoming 10–100 times more productive than ever. For companies that want to remain competitive and take advantage of the AI wave, it’s crucial they train developers on how to use AI effectively.

Job Security for Developers

When GitHub introduced Copilot, an AI coding assistant based on a GPT-powered language model, GitHub’s CEO claimed Copilot could reduce developer workloads by nearly 40%. If true, it stands to reason that companies would need fewer developers to perform the same tasks as before. However, you’ll always need developers to review and improve the code, and the demand for developers remains considerably higher than the supply. And while it’s true that many big companies have been laying off workers, it’s equally true that many of those workers are quickly finding a place in smaller companies or startups that value their expertise. By training these developers on how to use AI, you not only speed up workflows and time to market, but you also can provide a level of job security they wouldn’t otherwise have had. After all, jobs for AI specialists have been increasing by roughly 74% each year.

Ultimately, devs should see themselves as leveraging AI rather than being replaced by it. But first, you need to change the way they think about AI. Helping devs upskill from traditional coding to AI-assisted development will show them how AI augments and accelerates their productivity by automating repetitive tasks and providing intelligent assistance during the development process.

AI-Driven Upskilling

Company leaders need to start talking about AI-assisted development in terms of upskilling. Your goal isn’t to replace developers. Your goal is to create opportunities for your employees to learn, grow, and upskill through AI training and tools.

Start by finding areas where your developers are falling behind. The most obvious area is speed. Imagine if your software development team could get 10-100 times more productive. How much more could you accomplish? Or maybe you’re having issues with vulnerabilities, poorly optimized code or worrying about compliance for software that handles particularly sensitive data.

Determine your team’s weak points so you can find them the right tools. If you want to improve development speed, Copilot and similar tools can integrate directly into a coding environment to autocomplete code. Just as you can use Gmail’s autocomplete feature to fill in the subject line of an email or finish a sentence, Copilot can analyze the code a developer is writing to make autocomplete suggestions. AI tools can also generate segments of code based on simple prompts in everyday language. As an extremely simple example, you can ask Copilot to create a list of all prime numbers below 1000, and it will output code to do just that.

Once you have your tools selected, create training programs that get developers more comfortable working with those AI tools. At Turing, for example, we are offering developers a Tech Talk Series to provide them with information and access to cutting-edge AI tools that can enhance their productivity.  If you can provide developers with the right tools and show them the advantages of upskilling, you’ll be able to fully reap the benefits of AI-enhanced development. I believe the future of software development lies in embracing AI-powered solutions. In this way, we are not just revolutionizing industries -- we are unleashing the world’s untapped human potential.