The Dark Side of GenAI Tooling for Coding
Mike Smith
Passionate Technologist | ?? Docker Captain | ???? LinkedIn Learning Author | ?? Content Creator | ?? Has code in the Arctic...on purpose
In a continued series that I'm affectionally nicknaming Nerd-Words I wanted to talk about Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tooling for coding. It has been hailed as a game-changer in the world of software development, it is not without its drawbacks. As with any tool, it is important to understand its limitations and potential downsides before fully integrating it into your development workflow. In this post, I will explore some of the potential downsides of using GenAI tooling for coding after I've been researching it for a while.
First things first - What is GenAI?
GenAI stands for Generative Artificial Intelligence. It is a branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on creating models that can generate new data that is similar to the data it was trained on. In the context of software development, GenAI tools can generate code snippets, entire functions, or even whole modules based on the code it has been trained on.
What are the potential downsides of using GenAI tooling for coding?
1. Over-reliance on Automation
One of the biggest concerns with using GenAI tooling is the potential for over-reliance on automation. While it can be tempting to let the tool generate large portions of your code, it is important to remember that it is just a tool. It is not a replacement for a skilled engineer and should not be relied upon to do all of the work. Over-reliance on automation can lead to a lack of understanding of the codebase and can make it more difficult to debug and maintain in the long run.
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2. Lack of Creativity
GenAI tools are trained on existing code and generate code based on patterns it has seen before. This means that the generated code may lack creativity and innovation. It may not be the most efficient or elegant solution to a problem, and may not take into account the specific nuances of your project that only an engineer would know.
3. Potential for Errors
While GenAI tools are designed to generate syntactically and semantically correct code, they are not perfect. There is always the potential for errors and bugs in the generated code. It's very important to thoroughly review and test any code generated by any GenAI tool before integrating it into any project.
4. Ethical Considerations
You know me, I love talking about Ethics in Technology (thanks, UK AI Ethics Committee) and there are also ethical considerations to take into account when using GenAI tooling. The code generated by these tools is based on code written by other developers. While the tools are designed to generate original code, there is always the potential for plagiarism or copyright infringement. It is important to be aware of these issues and to use the tools responsibly.
While GenAI tooling can be a powerful addition to a developer's toolkit, it is not without its drawbacks. It is important to be aware of the potential downsides and to use the tools responsibly. Over-reliance on automation, lack of creativity, potential for errors, and ethical considerations are all important factors to consider. Ultimately, GenAI tooling should be used as a supplement to a developer's skills, not a replacement.