AI Copilots: Democratizing Coding or Replacing Developers?

Coding seemed to me like a mysterious art, accessible only to those who spend years learning the craft.

I often envied them this wizardry, but now, thanks to AI Copilots we're witnessing a seismic shift in how code is written and who can write it. The coding landscape is changing and is doing so very fast!

A recent discussion with Vaishnav Puram , who completed his #freshers assignment with Shell's Intelligent Automation Centre of Excellence and is embarking on a Computer Science degree in USA as well as a Microsoft demo on the Power Platform & AI Opportunities prompted this article.

What is GitHub

GitHub is to automation what the printing press was to the written word.

GitHub is the world's largest source code, a platform where 100 million developers create, store and share their code. It is also a highly collaborative environment. Developers can download software, update it and share their own version.

For people who eat, sleep and breathe code, GitHub is a place to experiment, innovate and connect with like-minded people.

Developers rely on GitHub because diligent versioning is essential to the quality of their work and their ability to deliver on time. When many developers work on a single project, working on different code versions can be a massive waste of time resulting in code components that are incompatible with each other. Learn to speak GitHub.

AI-powered coding assistants

GitHub Copilot

GitHub Copilot is like having a super-smart coding buddy who never sleeps. It uses machine learning to suggest code snippets, complete functions, and even write entire blocks of code based on comments or context.

Imagine typing "create a function to check if a password is strong" and having a complete function appear that checks for length, special characters, numbers, and capitalization.

But Copilot isn't just a fancy autocomplete. It's trained on billions of lines of public code, which means it can understand context, suggest best practices, and even help with complex algorithms.

It's like having access to the collective knowledge of millions of developers at your fingertips.

Power Platform Copilot

Power Platform Copilot is an AI-powered assistant that aims to simplify app development, automation, and data analysis for both professional developers and citizen developers (non-techies) using natural language.

Basically we can describe the app we want to build, and Copilot will generate a basic application structure.

Power Platform Copilot is built on large language models, similar to the technology behind ChatGPT, but specifically trained and optimized for Microsoft's environment.

Democratizing Coding: A Double-Edged Sword?

On the surface, Copilots seems like a dream come true for non-IT professionals looking to dip their toes into coding.

Communicators and Change Managers could tweak website scripts, data analysts can write more complex queries, and entrepreneurs can prototype their app ideas without hiring a developer.

A study by GitHub looking to quantify Copilot's impact on developer productivity and happiness found that developers completed tasks 55% faster than those coding without it. This boost in productivity isn't just for seasoned coders, it's a potential game-changer for coding newbies too.

But here's where it gets tricky.

While Copilots can help non-programmers write basic code, it doesn't teach them the fundamental principles of programming. It's like using a calculator without understanding math. Sure, you can get the right answer, but you might struggle to solve more complex problems or debug issues when they arise.

Impact on Professional Developers

Now, if you're a software engineer reading this, you might be breaking out in a cold sweat. Are AI Copilots coming for your job? Well, not so fast.        

While Copilots are impressive, they won't be replacing human developers anytime soon. Instead, it's changing the nature of their work. Developers are spending less time on repetitive coding tasks and more time on high-level problem-solving, architecture design, and creative solutions.

A survey by Stack Overflow found that 70% of developers who use AI coding tools report increased productivity. However, only 17% believe AI could fully replace human developers in the next decade.

Ethics of AI-Generated Code

As with any AI technology, Copilots come with their share of ethical concerns such as copyright. GitHub Copilot is trained on public repositories, which include code with various licenses. This raises concerns about potential copyright infringement when Copilot generates code similar to existing copyrighted work.

In response, GitHub implemented filters to prevent Copilot from outputting code that matches training data verbatim. But the debate is far from over, and it highlights a complex legal and ethical landscape extended beyond image, video, writing and art to code.

Another concern is bias in AI-generated code. If Copilots are trained primarily on code written by a certain demographic, it could perpetuate biases and coding practices that exclude or disadvantage others. This underscores the importance of diversity in the tech industry and the need for careful oversight of AI training data.

Evolving Role of Software Engineers and Teams

As AI takes over more routine coding tasks, the role of software engineers will evolve.

The focus is shifting from writing every line of code to understanding complex systems, making architectural decisions and ensuring the overall quality and integrity of software.        

I believe, this evolution presents both challenges and opportunities just like for the other non-IT roles impacted by the rise of AI.

Looking Ahead: The Future of coding with AI

As we peer into the crystal ball of tech futures, one thing is clear: AI is here to stay. Tools like GitHub and Power Platform Copilots are just the beginning. More advanced AI assistants will not only write code, build apps but also help with software architecture, testing and even project management.

?? For non-IT professionals like me, this means greater access to the world of coding. For business leaders, perhaps this opens an opportunity to bring coding skills into various roles, enhancing problem-solving and digital literacy across many functions.

?? For software engineers, it's a call to adapt and grow. The developers of tomorrow won't just be coders; they'll be AI collaborators, system architects, and guardians of ethical AI implementation.

Drawing a parallel within my own industry of #transformationalchange and #communications, I think AI Copilots are neither the magic bullet, nor the death of professional developers but powerful aids that when used wisely can enhance productivity, spark innovation, and help us bridge the gap between technical and non-technical roles.

As we navigate this brave new world where AI-assistants are reshaping many industries, one thing is certain - our future is going to be anything but boring.

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