The New Breed Of Software Developer—And How To Remain Relevant

Alberto Lugo is the founder and president of INVID, a Puerto Rico-based software and AI solutions provider with customers across the U.S.

gettyThe role of software developer has gone through a radical transformation in the age of AI, requiring a new set of skills, strategies and resilience. Gartner estimates that 90% of enterprise engineers will have AI coding assistants by 2028. It will be a prerequisite to the role to effectively use AI.

But to be clear, AI is not eliminating the need for software developers. There always will be the need for actual humans to support code writing, fix bugs and upgrade software, but it is fundamentally changing what it means to be one. The software developer of the future will be evaluated not by how quickly they can write lines of good code, but how accurately they can solve problems and leverage the power of AI to enable real-world outcomes.

For developers, this transformation presents both an enormous opportunity to expand their horizons, but also requires a long, hard look at their resumes: What skills will keep them relevant in a world where AI can increasingly generate code, swiftly and pretty accurately?

As the CEO of a technology company, I believe the answer is clear. The developers who thrive will not be those who compete with AI at writing code. They will be the ones who learn how to become the masters of it.

Generative AI has already changed the development process. A McKinsey report found that developers can complete coding tasks in half the time with generative AI tools. Developers can now use AI-powered tools to not only generate code, but explain unfamiliar codebases, identify bugs, write tests, create documentation and accelerate routine development tasks.

Yet, while AI can suggest an application architecture, or build an increasingly sophisticated prototype, it does not inherently understand why a business problem matters, what a customer actually needs or what organizations should prioritize. That remains in the human’s wheelhouse.

The new breed of developer will spend less time asking, “How do I write this code?” and more time asking, “What problem are we actually trying to solve?” Developers who learn to effectively use AI as a collaborator will have a significant advantage. They could move faster, experiment more broadly and devote more time to higher-value work.

Anyone can ask an AI tool to write code. Knowing whether that code is secure, scalable, maintainable and appropriate for a particular environment requires the skills of a software developer who can recognize when an answer is incomplete, when a recommendation introduces unnecessary risk or when a seemingly elegant solution will create problems in the future.

This requires that software developers understand how to prompt AI with relevant and highly honed questions, validate outputs, understand the limitations of AI models and maintain accountability for the final product.

There is a misconception that AI will make technical expertise less important, but it is just the opposite. Developers will still need to understand software architecture, cybersecurity, data management, cloud infrastructure and system integration, otherwise how would they realize when AI-generated solutions are wrong?

A developer who understands Python, for example, will be valuable. A developer who understands Python but also can design an AI-enabled workflow, integrate multiple systems, evaluate security risks and translate business requirements into scalable solutions? Well, that’s priceless.

Historically, software developers and business leaders have often operated in separate worlds. Business executives defined the objectives and software developers translated those requirements into technology.

Software developers will increasingly be required to understand the business, customers and their needs and how software can help them get there faster, efficiently and cost effectively. To remain relevant, rising software developers should think like a CEO more than a CIO, knowing the sector the business operates in and staying on top of developments and trends in that sector.

The stereotype of an introverted software developer, siloed in an office far removed from the rest of the organization, will become a thing of the past. Modern software will require collaboration. Developers increasingly will be required to work with product managers, designers, CSOs, CTOs and CEOs, gathering enterprise-wide perspective to inform how digital solutions can address their needs.

This same ability to communicate effectively will help them derive more value from AI, helping them more clearly prompt AI models with accurate explanations of the problem, constraints and goals.

The technology landscape is moving so quickly that software developers will need to build continuous learning into their daily activities. New programming frameworks, AI developments, security threats and digital capabilities will continue to evolve and it will be the software developer’s role to constantly evaluate what is changing and what news skills they’ll need to hone.

They can accomplish this by staying abreast of cybersecurity threats and prevention, experimenting with AI development tools, data management solutions and taking training and certification in new programs.

There’s no question that the software development profession is being redefined as some routine tasks become automated. Entry-level software developers in particular can feel vulnerable, since much of what AI is capable of today is the type of coding they may be performing. But by gaining expertise in AI, having solid courses and knowledge of business skills, marketing, communications and finance—not to mention empathy and good instincts—they’ll be at a distinct advantage that AI will never replace.​

The new age in software development will be different but still highly relevant and lucrative. The software developers who succeed won’t be the ones who can write code faster, but those who understand the business value of it.​

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