Software engineers can succeed in the era of AI by adapting to new methods.

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for skilled engineers is projected to increase by 25% in the coming decade, ending in 2032.
• But the hyper-growth of AI as an engineering solution may upend that forecast.
• Understanding business needs is crucial for software engineers to excel in the future.

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, stated at the World Government Summit in Dubai that it is Nvidia's responsibility to develop computing technology that eliminates the need for programming.

Is the rapid growth of AI as an engineering solution impacting the expectation of a 25% increase in demand for skilled engineers in the next decade?

Don Schuerman, chief technology officer of low-code software company Pega, stated that generative AI will speed up the changes already happening in the developer role.

Schuerman stated that while knowing how to write code is still important, the most valuable skill moving forward is the ability to comprehend business requirements. He emphasized the importance of being able to listen and understand non-technical individuals' goals with software and assist them in achieving them.

The skill of computational thinking, which involves thinking like a computer, will remain important in AI-enabled software engineering, even as AI coders outperform humans in competitive settings. While AI can write up to 80% of the code for programmers within five years, coding is just one task and may not be a primary part of the day-to-day roles of the engineer of the future.

"Winston Tang, founder of LeetCode, stated, "Engineering end-to-end solutions involves more than just coding.""

According to Tang, skilled engineers possess advanced problem-solving, logic, and reasoning abilities. He stated, "If individuals are intelligent and driven, they can quickly master new concepts with AI." Even LeetCode, founded in 2015 to aid Tang in preparing for software development interviews, has utilized AI in its internal operations, such as recommending problem solutions and employing a full-time AI assistant to assist staff developers in resolving issues.

David Hsu, CEO and founder of app development platform Retool, stated that AI in the software context is a driving force, as new technology leads to increased demand, which in turn results in more software.

A risk for entry-level engineers

Retool's second edition of its State of AI report, which will be released this summer, will survey more than 1,500 technology professionals. Although the results are not yet published, Hsu stated that the majority of respondents are already using AI almost every day. He emphasized that engineers are already upskilling and building faster with the available tools, and now it is up to businesses to recognize the opportunity and keep pace.

According to Retool's research, entry-level engineers may still be at risk, which could create a gap in industry accessibility until education and hiring standards catch up.

Schuerman envisioned the future of hiring for developers, stating that it would shift to prioritize problem-solving and communication skills over code-checking.

While technical skills are currently highly valued, experts predict that broader, strategic thinking skills will become increasingly important in the future. While highly skilled software developers who specialize in coding will still be in demand in high-end enterprises, the majority of industry professionals will focus on adapting existing solutions to address specific business needs.

Hsu stated that with more developers working more efficiently, there would be significant gains in productivity and efficiency, allowing them to tackle previously intractable problems using software.

Schuerman views enterprise architecture as a crucial aspect of the engineering industry, particularly in the current AI-driven landscape where app development has become more accessible. He posed the question, "In this rapidly evolving technological landscape, how do you ensure that all the pieces of an enterprise architecture fit seamlessly together while maintaining data compliance, security, and positive employee and customer experiences?" Addressing this challenge will require the collective efforts of the broader software engineering community.

Cognition, an AI lab that develops end-to-end software agents, claims on its website that it allows engineers to focus on more challenging problems and empowers engineering teams to pursue more ambitious goals. Its AI agent, named Devin, can resolve nearly 14% of issues, according to the SWE benchmark, which is a significant improvement from the previous best of less than 2%.

Although software engineering is widely considered a vital role, even the most optimistic experts acknowledge that its primary purpose is changing.

Schuerman stated that the software we use will have more mass production, which will be generated by AI.

The new Retool annual study reveals that many respondents believe that upskilling and utilizing AI as a tool can enhance productivity, efficiency, and job satisfaction. Hsu stated, "We observed a sense of optimism that jobs will undergo fundamental improvements."