Will robots replace programmers in ten years???

Sounds like a plot taken from a sci-fi movie?

Advances in modern-day automation is changing the way people work and, in this case, write code.??

Will you rage against the machine or let it grow?????

The world was abuzz with intrigue when Blake Lemoine claimed that Google’s LaMDA AI was sentient, meaning that the “program is a person” who does not belong to Google. Not long after, the senior software engineer got suspended and became a permanent member of the internet’s meme culture.??

Sentient or not, one thing is for sure: artificial intelligence (AI) is developing at a rapid pace. For a person to think that a program had human empathy and responses is a testament to how far software developers have come.????

The level of sophistication, however, is a double-edged sword. The fear of “being replaced by a robot” at work is always there because AI advancements happen every day, compared to humans who biologically diminish with age.????

Many would feel threatened especially because many jobs are already deemed replaceable by AI, including receptionists, proofreaders, and bookkeepers. You might be asking yourself right now,

“Am I in peril? Will AIs replace human programmers in a decade or so?”?

What machines can’t do... for now?

The short answer is no... at least for now.???

While AIs can be extremely fast and efficient, there are still many things they can’t, and humans can. AIs, for example, can’t match a person’s passion for work or empathy for customers, soft skills that can make a programmer stand out from the rest of the pack.?

Here are three more things that humans do better than machines:?

AIs can’t strategize on their own??

AIs can do a lot of things: collect, crunch, and organize large datasets; publish scheduled content; learn routines. However, they can’t strategize on their own. They would always need human direction. What AIs produce, people use to build and enhance strategies.??

AIs are devoid of empathy??

Empathy is an essential skill in the workplace. It allows the organizations to connect with customers, know and feel their pains to be able to create products and services as solutions. While AIs can list down your pain points, they can never empathize the way humans do.??

AIs don’t have the creativity to innovate??

Did you know that there are AIs that can write 12 coding languages and even translate between them?

Fortunately, they won’t be replacing experienced programmers yet as they’re not creative enough to find better ways to solve problems like bugs independently.?

Technology should serve humanity, not the other way around.?

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How can I be “irreplaceable”???

The good news is you will not be replaced by a robot. The bad news, however, is you can always be replaced by a software engineer who’s better than you.??

Did you know that software engineers, developers, and programmers are very much in demand? A handful of companies are even willing to pay higher than the average industry salary rate because of the increasing complexity of projects.???

As the code and tools for apps and programs get more sophisticated, devs with more experience handling various tech stacks and scripts will be considered premium talent. Take time to evaluate if you have the qualities that make up an exceptional developer.?

Broad technical experience??

The three most sought after competencies for this job are the ability to write testable code, knowledge of object-oriented design, and a background in software development. It’s a MUST to be familiar with all the same programming languages such as Python, Java, Ruby and C/C++.??

If you’re a computer science graduate, it’s highly recommended that you attend a boot camp to refine your knowledge.??

Attention to detail??

A good programmer is meticulous when coding or documenting projects to ensure that all deliverables adhere to the company’s standards of best practices. High attention to detail allows a person enough foresight to anticipate project shortcomings.??

Can work well alone and with a team??

Creating and maintaining great software needs the dedication of not just one person. More often than not, software development is a team effort. An ideal software engineer or programmer must be adaptable and collaborative enough to inspire the rest of the team to do their best.????

There will always be a case for robots replacing humans. But we can always make ourselves essential with our own humanly unique skills.???

Sure, AIs may adopt human-like qualities in the future but whatever the case may be, you will always remain a “hot commodity” in your industry if you consistently upskill and upscale. By keeping up with related trends, you’ll find ways to innovate and fit in with the systems that exist.?

By staying competitive and adopting a proactive approach to learning one can discover possibilities in IT and outsourcing? and find rewarding career options in this dynamic industry.??

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Emapta is an Australian-owned offshore staffing company in the Philippines which has been creating rewarding career opportunities for tech-savvy professionals by connecting them with industry-leading businesses around the world.?