Generative AI’s ability to jot down software code has quickly created certainly one of the technology’s first real use cases for business.
Skilled software engineers and novices alike are using AI coding assistants to supply, test, edit, and debug code, reducing the period of time it takes to finish the usually tedious steps required to complete projects. And Big Tech is fully on board: AI now writes as much as 30% of Microsoft’s code and greater than 1 / 4 of Google’s, in line with the heads of those firms, while Mark Zuckerberg aspires to have most of Meta’s code written by AI agents within the near future.
Meanwhile, powerful latest AI tools like Microsoft Copilot, Cursor, Lovable, and Replit have given even individuals with little to no knowledge of coding the flexibility to knock up impressive-looking apps, games, web sites, and other digital projects using little greater than a series of prompts detailing what they wish to construct.
Some practitioners are even allowing the software to take the lead relating to writing code and accepting some or all of its suggestions, a technique often called “vibe coding.” But there’s still no substitute for good old human know-how—because AI hallucinates nonsense, there’s no guarantee that its suggestions can be helpful or secure. Researchers at MIT CSAIL highlight how even AI-generated code that appears plausible may not at all times do what it’s designed to. AI tools also struggle with large, complex code bases—though firms resembling Cosine and Poolside are working on that.
We’re also starting to see the early effects on other parts of the industry—including fewer entry-level jobs for younger staff. So while coding assistants may enable you to in your existing job, they won’t necessarily enable you to land a brand new one.
