Will AI Impact Software Jobs?

 Will AI Impact Software Jobs?

With the rapid rise of AI and machine learning tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek, a common question arises: Will these advancements impact software jobs? This is especially concerning for many young people and parents who envision a future in software development for the next generation.

The answer is both yes and no. There will be a reduction in the number of developers and testers required to build the same products when using AI tools compared to traditional methods. Here's a breakdown of some roles that are already being affected:

• Testing Jobs: Automation tools have already led to a significant reduction in manual testing roles over the past few years.

• Developer Roles: AI/ML tools are improving development efficiency, reducing the number of developers needed for the same tasks.

• UI Designers: While AI can't fully replace designers, it can now handle about 20–30% of typical UI design work, reducing overall effort.

A Historical Perspective

Let’s go back 20 years in India, particularly in agriculture. Cultivating paddy (rice) on 10 acres of land used to require about 30 people working 20–30 days a year — roughly 900 man-days for tasks like plowing, planting, and harvesting.

Today, with tractors and harvesters, the same work takes only about 250 man-days, a 75% reduction.

Initially, there was fear that machines would take away jobs. But today, the real problem is a lack of manpower willing to work in agriculture. We've grown to depend on machines, not just for convenience, but out of necessity.

What This Means for Software Jobs

Similarly, AI will cause short-term disruption in the software job market. However, in the long term, it can be beneficial for humanity. We must begin preparing now—by upskilling, reskilling, and rethinking career goals.

We must ask:

• How can we adapt to these changes?

• What roles will remain in demand?

• Where can we shift our focus?

Instead of relying solely on traditional software jobs, we need to explore alternatives:

• Roles in AI model creation, training, and deployment

• Jobs that require human interaction or creativity like art, healthcare, entertainment, and education

• Non-software industries like manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, and services related to food and groceries

The Future of Work

In the future, we may not need to work 8 hours a day. Some experts, including Bill Gates, suggest we could eventually work just a few hours a day or a few days per week.

Some countries are already experimenting with 4-day work weeks—this might even reduce to 2 days per week in the future.

For our children, being skilled in multiple areas will be essential to thrive in a dynamic job market. The key will be to focus on how we can serve others—because as long as we meet the needs of fellow humans, there will always be a place for us.

Moving Forward

We need to think deeply about:

• Optimal usage of both natural and human resources

• Building efficient public infrastructure to reduce personal dependency on things like private vehicles

• Redefining education to prepare future generations for a multi-skilled, AI-enhanced world