The influence of Artificial Intelligence in the modern world is undeniable – and the software development industry is no different in this regard. But how exactly has AI influenced software development and what can be expected in the future? Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about how Artificial Intelligence improves software development.
#1 Developers Have New Roles
Perhaps the most obvious way AI has been influencing software development is reflected in the role developers have in the entire process of developing a software or application. While AI still can’t write code on its own entirely without any help from developers, there are still ways in which AI makes the work of developers easier. For instance, many tasks can be automated with the help of AI-powered tools. By automating some tasks, developers can focus on other responsibilities or even develop new skills to become better at their jobs.
In most cases, it is possible to automate smaller, simpler tasks so that developers can focus on more complex tasks. As time goes on and AI solutions become more advanced, developers will be doing fewer tasks manually and advancing their own skills to come up with more innovative solutions for different problems. Of course, this will also mean that developers will have to adapt to working with AI, so they will need to understand how the said AI functions.
#2 Development Itself Is Expanding
While developers’ roles in the development process are changing, the development of programs and applications itself is expanding rapidly thanks to AI. Both the speed at which development can be completed and the scale at which it can be performed are vastly different than they used to be. Thanks to the partial automation of certain tasks, there is more time for developers to focus on specific parts of development that can now be performed faster. At the same time, AI helps developers to take on projects that are more complex and bigger in scale.
For example, machine learning and deep learning technologies can be used to shorten the time needed to test software. Many tests can be run automatically, and more scenarios can be tested thanks to AI technologies. Moreover, AI is critical for testing because manual testing often involves a higher risk of human error. Overall, AI can help streamline processes and reduce waste while handling repetitive tasks much faster than developers. Thus, development as a process is gradually transforming into a new version of itself.
#3 Decision-Making Gets to a New Level
Another aspect of software development that is changing thanks to AI is decision-making. Thanks to AI solutions, decision-making has become more strategic and doesn’t require as much human intervention as it used to. AI tools can handle extremely large amounts of data to make predictions and guide decisions. Moreover, as more data is collected throughout the development process, past predictions can be adjusted to make even more accurate ones.
For example, developers might want to find out the specific needs of the target audience for an app they are developing. AI-powered tools can collect and analyze more data (e.g. from forum discussions among potential customers) which will give the developer a more complete picture of what the audience is looking for.
#4 Improved Error Management
In addition to strategic decision-making, AI can help improve error management. As explained above, AI solutions don’t only make predictions at a specific time – they can adjust the said predictions based on new data. This means that errors can be identified faster, sometimes before they even happen. In most cases, error management takes a lot of time which is why software development processes often stagnate during this period. However, with the help of relevant AI solutions, this problem can be eliminated or reduced to an extent.
The best part is that AI can identify errors both during the development stage of the application development lifecycle and later on which is especially important for software as a service (SaaS) as well as cloud-based platform-as-a-service solutions. Because such services are usually running round the clock and are utilized by users constantly, downtime can be detrimental. Every minute counts, but with the help of AI, errors and issues can be found and corrected automatically much faster. It is both efficient and affordable for developers.
#5 Get Real-Time Feedback
One major advantage of using AI in software development is that it can provide developers with real-time feedback. Such feedback is crucial for developers to continue improving the software even once it has been released and is already in use. For example, many video conferencing programs collect real-time feedback from users to further improve UX and UI. As a result, the way users use and interact with a specific application or program can change in a good way thanks to constant feedback.
Machine learning technology can be particularly helpful in this sense. Algorithms can be programmed to track the way users act in specific situations when using a program or app. By collecting this data, developers can then fix bugs, correct errors, and so on without losing much time or waiting for users to complain and leave. In addition to that, AI can be used to personalize user experiences by showing relevant content to users based on the collected data about their activities.
#6 Make Precise Estimations
Last but not least, AI can help developers make more precise estimations. As mentioned earlier, decision-making has become more strategic thanks to the implementation of AI during the development process. But in addition to that, AI solutions are dramatically changing the way estimations are made in terms of both costs and timelines. It is a common problem in the software development industry where deadlines are usually too close and costs are often underestimated. Luckily, AI tools can help plan out the development process in a more realistic way which is beneficial both for developers and senior executives.
In most cases, to make such estimations, AI-powered programs need to analyze past projects to understand what the outcomes were like in the past. This way, new projects can be planned out more accurately. Everything from budgeting to scheduling to role allocation can be organized with the help of AI estimations. Of course, even AI can’t account for all the unpredictable situations, but such intelligent automation technologies can still take into account quite a few factors that ultimately shape the progress of a specific type of project. This way, software development companies can satisfy clients, keep developers motivated, and meet deadlines.
Conclusion
So, what’s the bottom line? Everyone involved in software development should realize the impact AI has already had on the industry and should utilize its advantages to the fullest (e.g. decision-making, error management, and making estimations among other things). Consider the points in this article to help you better understand the influence of AI on software development and what developers can get out of it.
Author bio
Tiffany Porter has been working as a writer at Rated by Students reviewing a variety of writing services websites. She is a professional writing expert on such topics as digital marketing, blogging, and design. She also likes to read and provide consultation for creating expert academic materials.
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