AI is not a new concept anymore. Public understanding of its capabilities is broadening rapidly and changing how we view professional services. What AI has given us at this moment in time is not a threat to jobs, but rather an opportunity to get behind the remodelling of employment which is something that will become a threat to service providers who don’t.
Software development is one of the key industries that will face significant change from AI, but this is an excellent thing for companies who view it as an opportunity and pivot their strategy accordingly. Chat GPT can write code in seconds. Anyone who’s used it knows it can pretty much do anything you tell it to, which is why its rise has been so meteoric.
Chat GPT from Open AI is just one example - 39 other companies are just as close in competition with Open AI, never mind all the startups and concepts that have yet to hit the market. With that in mind, it’s safe to say that, unlike other trends that eventually blow over, AI and Machine Learning are here to stay.
Software Development Using AI
The entire purpose of AI is to make processes/workflows better and enhance the results that can be delivered. For example; look at a company like Microsoft which not only invested $10 billion in Chat GPT but has also taken its AI product development to the next level. What Microsoft did was create various platforms that assist in the programming process in ways that allow software developers to do their job more effectively.
Visual Studio IntelliCode and CodeSpace are both AI services built by Microsoft meant to correct errors made in code for developers. If you ask a software developer today who’s been coding for the last 20-30 years what a difference tools like Chat GPT, Visual Studio IntelliCode, and CodeSpace would’ve made in their past projects, they’d tell you it would’ve saved them countless hours of typing, debugging, and testing.
That’s what this is all about— adapting to these new tools to enhance what we’ve been doing all this time but to do it better, faster, and more efficiently.
Shift in The Role of Software Developers
The tasks that Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning handle are typically time-consuming, repetitive, and cover less comprehensive duties. Software development involves a significant amount of these tasks such as extending source code, going through iterations, and debugging.
In the future, if AI is fully handling these responsibilities without the need for constant supervision - software developers would be able to take on more of a managerial role and handle tasks that are more complex or require hands-on creativity. Tasks that would classify as “complex” or “creative” in software would be as follows:
Developing new algorithms or even programming languages
UI/UX design
Graphic design for software products
Developing new software features that enhance the user experience
Developing and implementing new software testing methodologies
Solving complex software problems
Creating complex software architectures
Building new frameworks for development
Conducting in-depth research and analysis related to software development and emerging technologies
Collaborating with marketing and sales teams to effectively market and sell software products
Collaborating with customer support teams to ensure that software products meet the needs of end-users
Mentoring and coaching junior software developers
Overall leading software development teams and projects
There is a myriad of things that developers will still be crucial for. As a matter of fact, there’s much more opportunity for a software development company who learns how to manage and integrate AI products than there’s ever been for any new technology in the industry before.
What AI Products Will/Do Clients Want?
The types of AI products that a software service provider would create are highly subjective based on the clients they serve. For example, it doesn’t take an expert to tell you that a hospital is going to require a much more sophisticated and elaborate architecture than an E-Commerce store.
Nonetheless, there are common interests among companies in various industries when it comes to AI product development that includes the following:
Predictive Analytics: Machine learning and AI are great for analyzing large quantities of data which would allow them to make predictions that are more accurate toward outcomes. For example, a financial services provider could use predictive analytics to recognize patterns in customer behaviour and offer customized opportunities or products based on that data.
Virtual Assistants or Chatbots: Of course, with the popularity of Chat GPT - companies are going to want to integrate chatbots that improve the user experience. Some specific functions of these tools could include processing inquiries, and assisting site direction, or they could be complex like the ability to triage patient inquiries.
Deep Learning Applications: Using artificial neural networks, Deep Learning applications can replicate the function of a human brain. This is the technology behind driverless cars, voice recognition, structuring investment concepts, language processors, fraud detection, and much more. Now, Deep Learning is still a long way from its true potential which makes it a key area to watch for any service provider interested in artificial intelligence integration.
Video and Image Analysis: Video and image analysis is a game-changer for security companies as it can detect people, objects, emotions, and behaviours using AI technology. This not only assists with investigations but also has implications for industries such as advertising and entertainment, which are both finding new ways to leverage this technology to drive growth.
For example, advertisers can analyze consumer preferences as well as what’s trending - then design campaigns based on that information. It can enhance the visual design process by finding what design trends consumers are responding the best to and then incorporating them into marketing materials.
The Next Steps For AI
There’s a lot to unpack from everything we just covered, yet this is still just the tip of the iceberg. AI is becoming beyond comprehensible but, again— this is a time with immense opportunity for those who take the time to learn, adapt, and integrate.
Software development has long been a field that demands constant learning and adaptation which is why the best software providers will ensure their business responds remarkably to the demand.
Written By Ben Brown
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ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.
Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.
