“More than a quarter of all new code at Google is generated by AI, then reviewed and accepted by engineers,” CEO Sundar Pichai said on the company’s third quarter 2024 earnings call. 

If Google is at 25% AI-generated code, most other companies may not be far behind! 

This shift in the tech industry could change how we develop software and even how we teach the next generation of programmers. With AI helping to write code, we are seeing faster development cycles, allowing both startups and large enterprises to launch new features and products more quickly than ever. This change also means that the role of software developers is evolving and so is the confidence in AI code. 

What's next for developers 

While AI can take care of routine tasks, the job of developers will still be crucial when it comes to reviewing code, integrating systems, and solving complex problems that require human insight. It’s a new way of working that asks us to adapt and learn, so upskilling becomes very important to thrive in this digital age. 

Maintaining technology when AI is involved

One concern is about the long-term maintenance of AI-generated code. We need to ensure it’s well-documented and easy to understand. Maybe we can even use AI to help create that documentation! Overall, I believe this shift presents amazing opportunities. By preparing future developers for an AI-augmented coding environment supported by co-pilots, we should embrace innovation while ensuring that human creativity and problem-solving remain at the heart of software development.