Oct 11, 2023

Automation and the Future of Software Development

Automation and the Future of Software Development

The technology industry has one major advantage over every other industry: automation. The ability to develop new automation systems means that the technology industry has the ability to affect every other industry in ways that both make them more efficient and a problem for employees.

The technology industry is not immune to this problem either as there are automated systems being developed that can replace software developers with automated developers. Even now when you pay for essay online, many of the processes are automated. Not the essay writing itself, of course, but suggesting the best writers for the job and assigning a price. Looking to the future can be scary when there is the possibility that many of us may not have a job anymore. However, the answer is not as clear as many think it is. In this article, we discuss automation and the future of software development.

Will Computer Science Become Obsolete?

As automated systems are integrated into different industries, the workers in those industries are being replaced. These systems are often cheaper and more efficient than human workers leading many people to ask, “will computer science become obsolete?” The answer to this is a bit complicated, but the simplest answer is no. Computer science will never become obsolete as it is the key to developing new technology. 

No matter how good automated systems are at developing technology, there will be limits to what they can do because they struggle with uniquely human constructs. Creativity, for one, plays a major role in being able to develop new things. This will likely hamper development by machines and leave a space open for humans to continue their work. 

Will Computer Programming Become Obsolete?

Another area where workers are getting nervous about being replaced is in computer programming. Automated systems are getting better at building other computer systems, specifically the programming aspect of it. Automated systems can make a big difference in this area, which is not unwelcome. However, many computer programmers are asking, “will computer programming become obsolete?”. Again the simple answer to this is no.

Computer programming is fundamental to how technology works, so it is an industry that will always exist in some form or another. Many of the automated machines that participate in computer programming are there to help programmers do their work, not to replace them. While they may get to a place where they can replace humans at some point, it is unlikely that machines will be allowed to develop other machines without human input. Computer programming is a very nuanced process, especially when it comes to developing new systems. Automated systems still struggle with this since they lack the ability to look beyond what is possible and imagine what they could create.

How Automation Will Change Industries

These industries will be around indefinitely even though we are currently automating software development. Automation will change how these industries function though, and it may be for the better. Automation generally refers to using smart machines to do work without human input, but some form of automation has happened in every industry. It is not something to be feared, but a tool to be embraced for making work easier and more efficient. 

Think about it from the perspective of a web developer. Much of the basic work that needs to be done in web development is somewhat repetitive. Automated systems could make it so that humans don’t have to do the most basic tasks anymore freeing them up to focus on other problems. 

This is already happening with Low-code/No-code systems. Automated devices complete the background tasks such as compiling code and making changes in accordance with design changes made by the user. Instead of having to change complex code, a user can just use a detailed interface to make changes. This would not be possible without automation and it is arguably better for everyone involved. Automation will not replace people, it will take over the jobs that people don’t need to worry about anymore so that they can focus on more important parts of projects.

Important to Remember

When talking about automation in any context, it is important to remember that it is not here to replace anyone, it is here to help us be more productive. Automation is being implemented to handle complex jobs that can be done faster by machines than people. However, people will always be needed to focus on the outside aspects of those projects and to ensure that the work that machines do is accurate. In a sense, developers will become the project and production supervisors that tell automated systems what needs to be done and ensures that they do it right. We become the managers instead of being the workers. If humans want to continue to do these things, there is also nothing stopping them from doing them. 

With Together For the Future

Automation will change the industry, but our teams are still (mostly) human. If you have a project that you need to work on, we can help you. Call KitelyTech at (800) 274 2908 for a free consultation about your next project.