Should You Study AI Engineering to AI-Proof Your Future?

Photo by Matthieu Brajon on Unsplash

Software development should be about learning and moving on. Approaching new technology with excitement and adopting new tools

Then AI steps in and software developers panic. They think that their jobs are at stake and push back at the mere mention of AI.

So, should we be diving headfirst into AI engineering or hope that it fades into the background like technologies before it?

Strap in as we take a ride through the rollercoaster of AI and what you should do to enhance your employability as we dive headlong into the future.

The situation

To AI or Not to AI: That Is the Question

Soon we will be unable to remember to write a letter without the guidance (re: copy-paste) of AI. So, it’s no wonder that many are contemplating whether to retool their skills towards AI engineering.

Those who claimed that they would never touch AI have started to use the technology in their daily work. I wonder if my colleague copy-pasted from ChatGPT rather than Stack Overflow, but I’ve certainly seen other less able members of the team paste whole classes into a chat window expecting a positive result from our AI overlords.

The shift is palpable, and the fear of being replaced by a language model is real. 

So, is specializing in AI the safety net we hope it will be?

The AI Paradox

AI is a double-edged sword. It is a game-changer but not without issues. Put some code from your AI into the compiler? It might build or might not. It certainly won’t use the shared code in your codebase or conform to your team’s coding conventions.

It does feel that AI has those junior positions covered, but instead of those junior mistakes, it feels like AI has introduced new issues all of its own.

Solutions

Become Obsolete…?

Remember when web developers' salaries hit the floor? Companies started to adopt React and (you guessed it) the best became React developers. 

It’s time to transition from writing everything in assembly to arguing over which high-level language is the best, embracing AI is not optional — it’s survival in this business.

I’m not stating that I’m sure you’ll become a bit of trash in the next few years. I’m saying that if you aren’t flexible then your job and career are at risk. Fearing technology change isn’t an excuse to do nothing and shake in the corner. It’s a call to action, and that means you should really…adapt.

Adapt

If you’re as slick as me you’ll have spent years trying to avoid pointless meetings. I can adapt to survive, and I think you should consider a similar approach too.

Studying AI engineering is an opportunity to future-proof your career. At worst you’ll be able to understand why people are treating it as the new hotness — what do you have to lose? Study it, understand it, and learn to work with it before it decides to work without you. Remember, in the world of technology, the only constant is change, and the only way to stay relevant is to stay ahead.

Conclusion

So, should you study AI engineering to AI-proof your future? In a word, yes. Don’t just do it out of fear because that road is too short (as will your career).

The other real reason is because it’s cool. If you aren’t in the software engineering game because it’s fun, what are you doing it for?

Or for all I care nervously chuckle while our AI overlords decide our fate. Do what you like.