Managing the Gap AI Brings: Keeping Developers Sharp and Engaged

Abstract

The introduction of advanced AI-assisted coding tools, namely GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Code Llama, has changed the software development process considerably. While these tools enhance productivity and lessen cognitive load, they pose a critical challenge of skill atrophy. The more AI does the coding, the more programmers stand to lose their ability to tackle complex issues, optimize systems, and comprehend system design on a holistic level. This talk focuses on how businesses and developers can deal with the “AI gap”—the disparity between human-created value and the value created with the assistance of AI. At the end of the session, participants will have in hand a plan of action that ensures the use of AI enabled coding software tools without diminishing or losing the abilities of software development. The intended audience is engineering managers, AI scientists, and computer programmers who seek to use AI but want to avoid the absence of the reasoning faculties and imagination necessary for original work.