It probably wasn’t even half a decade ago when people thought programming and coding were the future. Every tech pundit and industry leader chimed in on how knowledge of programming would be an essential career skill in the new frontier. 

But the world has shifted much since then. The frontier tech evolved so much and so drastically that recently at the World Government Summit, Dubai, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had something entirely different to say. He stressed that with the rapid integration of AI, programming, and coding would soon cease to be a vital skill. 

That posits an interesting question, should everybody learn coding or programming? Let’s try to find an answer. 

How to Know if Programming or Coding is Essential for Your Career Growth? 

Let’s assume that programming in the future will cease to be an in-demand or vital skill. But does that make programming or coding obsolete? Absolutely not. In fact, the paradigm shift in frontier tech would require upskilling the existing programming knowledge. A programmer would effectively move from writing lines of code to a more strategic and oversight role as AI takes up the tedious task of coding. 

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So rather than asking whether programming is right for you or not, it is important to assess whether you are equipped to adapt to the changing role in the future.

Pros of Learning Programming 

- Wide range of career opportunities in software development, web development, data science, artificial intelligence, and more 
- Improving logical thinking and problem-solving skills 
- Promotes creative thinking 
- High demand 
- A lifelong learning opportunity 
- Automation, efficiency, and flexibility of knowledge application.

Cons of Learning Programming

- Involves a steep learning curve 
- Sedentary nature of work 
- Keeping up with the rapid changes in the industry 
- Complexity and high expectations. 

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The Advent of AI in Programming 

A few days ago OpenAI launched their new text-to-video model called Sora. The model with its AI capabilities can generate hyperrealistic videos based on text description. Less than a year ago in the “text to video” early stage of development, the results were so inaccurate that it was assumed to be a long-shot goal. Yet in just one year, AI and ML were able to incorporate hyper-realism and extreme accuracy in their output. 

The advent of AI has been somewhat similar in programming and coding. With AI, it is now possible to generate code, debug, optimize, automate testing, deploy as well as code translation. AI has incorporated DevOps features along with a natural language interface and predictive analysis. 

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Will the Coding/ Programming Job Market Shift Due to the Incorporation of AI? 

Coming back to Huang’s idea about why programming and coding aren’t essential for everyone. Think of why people want to learn programming in the first place. To get better control over the computer. But do you really need the control? 

It's almost like saying that you need to be an automotive engineer to be able to use a car. While in reality, all you need is the knowledge of driving. The usage/control over computers holds a similar case. The nitty gritty aspect of what goes behind is increasingly taken over by AI. All you need is the knowledge of how to effectively use the product brought forth by AI. 

Here’s how the programming job market will shift due to AI incorporation. 

The Need for AI Specialist 

As AI technologies become more prevalent, there will be a growing demand for professionals with expertise in AI development, machine learning, and data science.

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Automation of Repetitive Tasks 

Routine and repetitive coding tasks may become more automated. And it will lead to a shift in the nature of programming jobs. Programmers may need to focus more on higher-level tasks, such as designing algorithms, optimizing performance, and ensuring the ethical use of AI.

Creating New Opportunities for Programmers 

The use of AI in the entire coding lifecycle would require new roles like AI ethicists, AI trainers, and AI explanation experts. The interdisciplinary nature of the requirements may see a crossover between programming knowledge and other civic domains. 

Upskilling the Existing Knowledge

AI integration would require upskilling the existing knowledge to maintain oversight of the product.  AI usage may introduce new tools, algorithms, and methodologies. A programmer must be willing to adapt and learn these new concepts.

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The Need for Creativity and Problem-Solving 

There might be redundancy in general coding per se. Programmers will be valued for their ability to conceptualize and design innovative solutions. The need for creativity and problem-solving will always remain. 

What is the Future of Programming? Will AI Replace Programmers and Coders? 

To put things in short, the future of programming and coding isn’t all that bleak. The need for programmers and coders is not going to cease any time soon. However, there will be a rapid change in the job roles for different positions. 

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It's easy to see why AI will never replace human programmers. The thing with AI is that it isn’t sentient. It operates based on ML over precedence and existing knowledge. AI can’t think independently beyond a fixed dataset. The inability to consider the ethical dilemma and the tendency to be politically correct is why programmers would never be completely replaced by AI. 

Final Words 

The rapidly changing programming sector resonates with the idea that it is not for everyone. Programming isn’t limited to learning languages and writing line after line of code. As technology becomes more sophisticated, so do the job roles. 

There is an imminent need for upskilling the existing programmers. In that sense, only jump into the bandwagon if you’re passionate about it, if you’re willing to adapt and put in the effort to evolve with the changing landscape. Otherwise it’ll only be a waste of effort and resources.

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