I follow most prominent subreddits for web developers and programmers, so I already know I’m not the only one fed up with the growing wave of AI Anxiety.
The fear of being replaced by AI is just as hyped as all these ChatGPT wrappers going around making grandiose claims. People fear what they don’t understand, and with the recent advancements in AI technology, it’s easy to see why there’s a lot of hype and anxiety surrounding it.
It’s exhausting and annoying, and most of it is hyperbolic. I’ve been building websites for over a decade now, and I’ve worked with hundreds of companies. It’s quite interesting to see how AI has become this industry’s buzzword over the last two to three years.Â
But is all the hype really necessary?
How Relevant Is AI in the Web Dev Community?
To answer this question, let’s set straight a couple of things:
- Relevance has two meanings; in this content, I’m talking about ‘importance.’
- The Web Dev Community is the average web developer speaking at tech conferences, local meetups, social media groups, or subreddits.
Reddit and Quora are some of the favorite platforms for web developers like me and others worldwide. We have specific threads and Subreddits where we meet, interact, and share our ideas and views on different web development topics.
These platforms’ anonymity, ease of use, and quick response make them perfect for any developer seeking solutions. They’re also a great environment for discussing technical issues, sharing new tools and techniques, or simply venting out.
A few days ago, someone in one of my favorite web dev subs ranted about this new trend of newbies selling ChatGPT wrappers as their own ‘AI-powered apps.’
Immediately after reading the post, I wondered, “Did this guy just read my thoughts to make this post?” Then, I reckoned that he still didn’t mention all the AI anxiety these so-called novel AI apps were creating.
But as I read through the comments section, I realized that most web developers worth their salt are over the AI hype. Most of them don’t see through the uncanny marketing language.
I was even surprised by a good number calling out the obvious intent of corporations to use AI as an excuse to fire people. The opinion was that if people lose their jobs to AI, it’s most likely an excuse the higher-ups used to cover up for poor management decisions or a way to cut costs.
I’m tempted to agree with them.
The Ubiquity of AI in Discussions
AI is everywhere and in everything. It’s definitely not a new topic, but we can’t escape discussing it these days. AI has become a typical part of our lives, with chatbots and self-driving cars.
As web developers, we can’t ignore its presence and potential impact on our industry. But that doesn’t mean we should be afraid or feel threatened by it.
The Misinformation and Hype Surrounding AI
One of the biggest issues with AI is the misinformation and hype surrounding it. Many companies and individuals use buzzwords like “AI-powered” or “machine learning” to sell their products, even if they don’t actually utilize true AI technology.
The confusion and misunderstandings about what AI can actually do are causing unnecessary fear and anxiety among web developers. It’s important to educate ourselves and not fall for Big Tech’s marketing hyperbole.
The Economic Uncertainties and Job Market
There’s no denying that AI has the potential to automate certain tasks and jobs, but even in such situations, it’s not a complete replacement for human skills. AI technology still requires human input and oversight to function effectively.
However, human jobs will inevitably evolve and adapt to the introduction of AI. Web developers and programmers must stay updated on industry trends and upskill themselves accordingly.
AI Is a Tool, Not Your Replacement
Instead of fearing AI, we should embrace it as a valuable tool in our arsenal. AI can help with repetitive tasks like data analysis, testing, and even coding, but it can never replace human developers’ creativity and problem-solving skills.
With AI handling mundane and repetitive tasks, web developers will have more time to focus on innovative and challenging projects. It’s all about finding a balance and using AI technology to enhance our work rather than replacing it entirely.
Can AI do web dev and programming like us? The answer is a resounding NO, not by a long shot!
Is AI an invaluable tool for web developers and programmers who know what they’re doing? Absolutely! But I digress.
ChatGPT Prompt Wrappers
“Here’s this futuristic AI programmer I just made.”
Don’t you just love it when rogue ‘innovators‘ try to oversell and overhype AI technology? They make some fancy ChatGPT prompt wrapper and try to pass it off as a fully functioning, autonomous programmer.
But let’s get real for a moment – AI technology is still in its infancy and nowhere near capable of replicating the complexity and creativity of human web developers and programmers.
AI programmers are only suitable for summarizing and generating simple code from predefined patterns. They cannot generate original ideas or adapt to unexpected challenges like a human developer.
Investors and web developers are starting to see this hype as the mirage it is. Though they say AI can replace programmers, it can only do what you tell it to do. It won’t execute complex tasks or effectively troubleshoot issues without human guidance.
For example, I once asked ChatGPT to implement a reusable frontend component commonly used in web development. I knew my web dev business was safe when it replied by wrapping a div.
Expert Data Scientists Are Also Shunning Artificial Intelligence Fears
A few seasoned data scientists chimed in on the conversation, and they claimed that AI anxiety was more prevalent in their niche. According to them, the fear of AI was unfounded because no AI system on the market was even close to being sentient.
One even cringed seeing so-called models labeled as ‘AI’ or ‘neural networks.’ He said most were just wrongly applied tensor flows with wrong activation functions and no dummy variables.
He explained that tensor flows are meant to be used with Kera wrappers, and others agreed that outputs from such models never run seamlessly in the ML domain.
Their gist was that data science demands a nuanced mix of statistics, calculus, and programming. It’s hard to find a good data scientist with excellent skills in each of these domains, let alone an AI that could match up.
They emphasized the importance of human intuition and creativity in their field. They explained that while AI can process large amounts of data quickly, it can’t make connections and draw insights like humans.
The Importance of Human Touch in Web Development and Programming
Did you know that there were few but high-quality apps developed before SDK for iOS and other low-code platforms? After these low-code solutions came up, the market became flooded by crappy apps?
We can also go back to the 1990s when VB3 became mainstream. Many developers became complacent and relied on drag-and-drop functionality rather than writing code. As a result, the quality of apps declined significantly.
What about the rise of Language Models like Jasper and ChatGPT? It saturated the copywriting market with automated content that lacks creativity and authenticity.
The Kindle also became flooded with poorly written ebooks generated by AI.
And what about chatbots and pseudo-accounts on social media trying to create relevance on influencer pages? It’s just bots chatting with other bots, but you can always tell when the conversation is not genuine.
While AI and automation have their advantages in web development and programming, it’s important to remember the value of the human touch. Machines may be able to perform tasks quickly, but they lack creativity, adaptability, and empathy, so having humans on hand to apply the finishing touches is important.
The point is that no matter how much tech advances, we’ll always need real human web developers and programmers. They bring creativity, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail that AI can never replicate.
Strive for Constructive Engagement with AI Discussions
Like other tech fields, web development will always be infatuated with the new and shiny. However, it is important to have a balanced conversation about AI and its effects on programming. Instead of fearing or rejecting it, we should encourage constructive engagement with AI discussions.
The key is embracing the positives while acknowledging the negatives and working towards finding solutions. Your AI anxiety may be driven by someone’s selfish interests rather than real facts. Take the time to do your own research, ask questions, and form your own opinions.
