The future is AI series: 2. Will AI replace programmers?

By Fay Capstick

Last week in our The Future is AI series we looked at whether your next job interview might be conducted by an AI, which is something that could have a big impact on our industry and change how recruitment works. This week we shall be looking at whether AI software could replace programmers in the IT industry and what this could mean.

What has happened?

Since Open AI launched ChatGPT in a largely unprepared world, users have been testing and pushing its capabilities to see what can be achieved. One area that people have been keen to try out is coding. Can Chat GPT programme? And if so, what does this mean for our industry?

Can Chat GPT really code?

Yes, it can. Since it was launched programmers have been testing the Chat bot's ability to generate code. According to a BBC news article, you can start by literally asking ChatbotGPT to build a game like Pong (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65086798). It can then recommend the programming language that should be used (in this case JavaScript, and it then proceeded to generate the code. A half an hour task was completed in 40 seconds.

I had a chat with the chatbot and asked it about my favourite retro game, Space Invaders, and whether it would help me create a similar game, after first checking that it was aware of the original game. Here is an extract from our chat:

Me: I would like to create a similar game and the code for it, can you help me?

ChatGPT: Certainly! I can assist you with creating a similar game to Space Invaders and provide guidance on coding it. Developing a game like Space Invaders involves several components such as graphics, user input, game logic, and more. Here's a general outline of the steps you can follow:

1. Choose a programming language and game development framework/engine: Select a programming language you're comfortable with, such as Python, C++, or JavaScript. Additionally, you can use game development frameworks or engines like Pygame, Unity, or Phaser, which provide tools and libraries to simplify game development.
2. Set up the game window: Create a window or canvas where your game will be displayed. This will serve as the visual interface for the player.
3. Draw the game elements: Design and render the game elements such as the player's ship, alien invaders, bullets, and barriers. You can use sprites or simple shapes for this purpose.
4. Handle user input: Implement controls to allow the player to move the ship and shoot bullets. Capture keyboard or mouse input to control the game.
5. Implement game logic: Define the behavior of the aliens, their movement patterns, and their shooting capabilities. Set up collision detection to determine when bullets or aliens hit each other.
6. Score tracking and game over: Keep track of the player's score and display it on the screen. Implement game over conditions, such as when the aliens reach the bottom of the screen or the player's ship is destroyed.
7. Sound and effects: Add sound effects and background music to enhance the gaming experience. Include sounds for shooting, alien movements, and other events.
8. Polish and test: Fine-tune your game, adjust the difficulty levels, and test it thoroughly to ensure smooth gameplay and eliminate bugs.

Remember, the level of complexity and the specific implementation details will depend on the programming language and framework you choose. You can find numerous online resources, tutorials, and sample code for developing Space Invaders-like games in different languages and frameworks.

If you have a specific programming language or framework in mind, let me know, and I can provide more targeted guidance and code examples.

Me: Can we go with java script please?

ChatGPT: Absolutely! JavaScript is a great choice for developing browser-based games like Space Invaders. Here's a simplified example to get you started ...

The Chatbot then generated code in a few seconds that I could use. Chat GPT isn’t sourcing the internet for existing code that it can copy, but generating fresh code to meet my requirements. As someone who knows the theory of how coding works, but has never done much, the chatbot did something that would have taken me a long time to learn and do.

This all suggests that the basics of coding might be done by AI in future, but guided by humans giving it prompts and requirements. As AI progresses and we better understand how to use the tools that we have created it is likely that AI will be able to undertake all our programming needs.

What are the potential problems?

One big potential problem is that, thankfully, ChatBotGPT isn’t sentient (yet), however, this means that it is open to being tricked and manipulated by the user. Therefore it will be possible to get the chatbot to generate code that can be used maliciously, for example, to hack. Making hacking simple and something open to all cannot be considered a good thing. However, as with all new technology, the key is implementing safeguards to control its use. This will require experts, including philosophers and computer scientists, to fully assess and understand the implications of what has been unleashed. This has already started with hearings before Congress last week.

What are the benefits?

Using AI as a partner in coding can help the programmer with output. Code can be produced quicker and easier. A bonus of this is that the coder can whizz through the more monotonous and unsatisfying stages and get to the more challenging parts quicker. It is possible that using AI to help generate code might result in fewer bugs, it might also mean that code that is produced is of higher quality.

More importantly, can ChatGPT code reliably?

That is a question that experienced coders will need to answer, but it appears to be yes. Experienced coders will still be required to check and guide the AI. Also, programming is a highly creative skill, and this could be something an AI will struggle with.

Github has already launched a paid service called Github Copilot (https://github.com/features/copilot) to help you generate code using OpenAI. For $10 a month, it offers to turn natural language prompts into code, offers multi-line function suggestions, speeds up test generation, and filters out common vulnerable coding patterns. Where it is through Github it is aimed at seasoned coders, and they have found that users who take Copilot are more productive and satisfied in their work.

Ghostwriter has been launched by replit (https://replit.com/site/ghostwriter) and is a similar service to Copilot. They are calling it the new normal for software creation.

What does this mean for the IT industry?

AI coding will certainly have a big impact on the IT industry. However, programmers will still need the skills to guide the AI and fix problems with the generated code, which will take knowledge. However, as AI progresses it is possible that we will, maybe quicker than we expect, come to a point where the AI is good enough that the human user having actual coding skills is not needed at basic levels. In the same way that we use calculators without thinking and have lost basic maths skills as they simply aren’t required, the same might be true of coding tasks.

Therefore schools and universities must be quick to adapt to meet the changing skills that will be needed in the workforce, where coding might become a task that involves giving an AI prompts. Interestingly, this might be a great way to increase diversity in the IT industry, as the job might become appealing to those who haven’t before been interested in programming; it will be more of a creative and less technical role once the AI is good enough to do the basics.

This month Sam Altman, the creator of Chatbot GPT stated that the impact that AI would have on jobs would be “significant.. but hard to predict.” This is all uncharted territory and the decisions we make now will have a profound impact on society and jobs within the IT sector, but what we do know for sure is that the genie is well and truly out of the bottle and now we need to learn to use and control it.

Final thoughts

At Parker Shaw we have been at the forefront of the sector we serve, IT & Digital Recruitment and Consulting, for over 30 years. We can advise you on all your hiring needs. If you are looking for your next job in the IT sector please check our Jobs Board for our current live vacancies at https://parkershaw.co.uk/jobs-board