Rapid advancements in generative AI are poised to reshape the software engineering landscape dramatically, with Gartner forecasting that 80% of engineers will need to “upskill” within the next three years to remain relevant. This shift, highlighted in a recent report, confirms what many developers have already realised: generative AI tools are revolutionising software development. Initial productivity gains will pave the way for a complete transformation into AI-native engineering practices.
Despite these changes, Gartner emphasises that human expertise and creativity will remain essential and marketable. Philip Walsh, a senior analyst at Gartner, stated, “While AI will transform the future role of software engineers, human expertise and creativity will always be essential to delivering complex, innovative software.” This evolving landscape will give rise to new career paths, particularly the role of the “AI engineer,” which will demand a unique blend of skills in software engineering, data science, and machine learning.
Gartner outlines the impact of AI in three phases. In the initial stage, AI tools are expected to assist engineers in completing tasks more efficiently, akin to the way developers currently use ChatGPT and similar AI assistants. Senior developers, already versed in advanced engineering practices, are likely to benefit the most from these tools.
In the medium term, AI agents will automate a broader range of developer tasks, further enhancing productivity. As this AI-native era unfolds, the primary role of human engineers will shift from writing code to guiding AI agents. Gartner anticipates that prompt engineering will emerge as a critical skill, alongside expertise in retrieval-augmented generation.
In the long run, the emergence of the AI engineer will signify a new career pathway for professionals. The demand for such roles is already evident, with thousands of companies actively seeking “prompt engineers,” offering salaries around $130,000. Gartner’s survey of 300 organisations in the U.S. and U.K. revealed that more than half of industry leaders identified AI and machine learning engineers as the most sought-after roles for 2024.
However, not all perspectives on this transformation are optimistic. Emad Mostaque, former CEO of Stability AI, has controversially predicted the end of human programmers within five years. He points to GitHub data indicating that 41% of all code is already AI-generated, a figure expected to rise as AI adoption expands. Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman echoed this sentiment, suggesting that in a couple of years, developers may be less focused on coding itself and more on creative problem-solving.
Garman argues that coding is simply the language used to communicate with computers, while the real skill lies in innovation. This perspective aligns with a broader transformation across industries driven by AI.
IBM estimates that 40% of the global workforce will require reskilling over the next three years to adapt to AI’s increasing influence. For engineers and organisations, the challenge will be to embrace these changes by investing in the necessary skills, tools, and platforms.
Yet, some hold a bleaker view of an AI-disrupted future. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has raised concerns about the potential for AI to not only replace jobs but also challenge humanity’s sense of purpose. He pondered, “How do we find meaning in a world where AI can do everything we can do, but better?” While Musk envisions a future where everyone has a “robot buddy,” he stopped short of explaining how such technology would be accessible to all if job displacement becomes widespread.
As the software engineering field evolves, it is clear that generative AI will play a pivotal role. The blend of human creativity and AI capabilities will shape a new generation of engineers, poised to tackle complex challenges in innovative ways. The journey ahead may be fraught with uncertainties, but the potential for growth and adaptation remains.