The Impact of AI-generated Code on the Future of Junior Developers
Pantin, Carlos (2024)
2024
All rights reserved. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024092025461
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024092025461
Tiivistelmä
This thesis explores how artificial intelligence impacts junior developers as well as the software development industry. Artificial intelligence has been increasing in popularity recently. With the introduction of generative AI, plenty of new tools and technology are available for software developers. This thesis is composed of three main pillars. First, a theoretical research aimed at providing a better understanding of how this technology will impact developers and how it can be used to empower them. The second pillar consists of an experiment designed to test AI’s effectiveness in solving certain difficult problems. Lastly, a survey to gather more information on students and their use patterns with this technology.
Results of the thesis demonstrate that artificial intelligence tools such as
ChatGPT are efficient at solving certain programming programs, however, this heavily depends on the complexity of the problem among other factors. Artificial intelligence struggles with high-complexity problems and those types of problems are the standard in the workplace. However, this tool demonstrates that it can be of big aid to developers. This tool can help developers complete tasks up to twice as fast. However, the developer needs to constantly collaborate with the tool and revise its output to ensure correctness and maintain good code quality. HAMK’s computer applications students expressed that they are starting to incorporate this tool within their programming tasks as well as frequent use of it.
While artificial intelligence is changing the industry and new advancements are introduced as time goes by, this technology is far from perfect. Software development is more than simply writing a few lines of code. To be successful in this industry, skills such as creativity, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking are needed. Moreover, software developers constantly work together on a team as well as know further context needed for a specific project unknown to artificial intelligence.
The outcome of the thesis explains how artificial intelligence is not a full-on
replacement of junior developers, but more of a collaboration between the two, a syngery. Artificial intelligence can make developers more effective at what they do, however, without a developer’s oversight or collaboration, the tool lacks plenty of characteristics essential to tackle tasks that a developer works on.
Results of the thesis demonstrate that artificial intelligence tools such as
ChatGPT are efficient at solving certain programming programs, however, this heavily depends on the complexity of the problem among other factors. Artificial intelligence struggles with high-complexity problems and those types of problems are the standard in the workplace. However, this tool demonstrates that it can be of big aid to developers. This tool can help developers complete tasks up to twice as fast. However, the developer needs to constantly collaborate with the tool and revise its output to ensure correctness and maintain good code quality. HAMK’s computer applications students expressed that they are starting to incorporate this tool within their programming tasks as well as frequent use of it.
While artificial intelligence is changing the industry and new advancements are introduced as time goes by, this technology is far from perfect. Software development is more than simply writing a few lines of code. To be successful in this industry, skills such as creativity, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking are needed. Moreover, software developers constantly work together on a team as well as know further context needed for a specific project unknown to artificial intelligence.
The outcome of the thesis explains how artificial intelligence is not a full-on
replacement of junior developers, but more of a collaboration between the two, a syngery. Artificial intelligence can make developers more effective at what they do, however, without a developer’s oversight or collaboration, the tool lacks plenty of characteristics essential to tackle tasks that a developer works on.