Whether AI will eliminate professional services jobs and more specifically engineering jobs is a topic of much debate. Among the software developers themselves, the consensus is that their roles are not under imminent threat, but they are going to have to upskill their abilities and knowledge around how to use AI. I found it very interesting to read that, according to Atlassian’s latest State of Developer Experience Report, 62% of developers believe that today’s AI either does not significantly improve their productivity or only does so marginally. I even got that anecdotally from our head of engineering at Spiral Scout who noted that some engineers didn’t see the benefit of tools like MSFT Co-Pilot. Every day we see more and more exciting advancements in AI technology, but the broader use of AI tools in development is still evolving as the LLMs start to catch up with the tech out there.
In contrast, I hear a lot from my non-technical friends that there is a perception that software developer jobs are prime candidates for AI replacement. It took me time to come around to this because I know that AI and Agents will have a profound impact on how development is performed in the future, but I find this to be an oversimplified suggestion and misrepresentation largely. The gap between perception and reality is understandable, given the ease with which AI can now generate small code snippets on demand in a service like ChatGPT. I still firmly believe it’s clear that developers will remain crucial for years to come, and the outcome will be more software will be produced in general. Moreover, we’re on the brink of a new era in “developer assistance tech”—one that will strengthen, rather than threaten, developer roles. This is where Wippy, an innovative multi-agent AI framework our Spiral Scout team has been building for the last few years, enters the scene, fundamentally changing how developers and more technical people work and perform software integrations.
Developers Will Continue to be Indispensable
The reason developers will continue to be invaluable lies in the multifaceted nature of their work, which extends far beyond simply writing code. For AI to replace developers, it would need to master a range of dynamic, creative, and context-dependent tasks—a feat that today’s AI simply isn’t able to achieve.
- Complexity Beyond Coding: Developers are responsible for much more than just coding. They manage complex systems, work together in creative problem-solving, and navigate constantly changing requirements from stakeholders. Current AI, including large language models (LLMs), has been seen to excel at generating smaller code snippets based on existing data but struggles to handle the nuanced and evolving demands of full-scale application development. Wippy, however, is designed to assist developers in navigating this complexity. By understanding the structure and interdependencies within a codebase, Wippy can help automate some of the more tedious, mundane tasks like integrations which it can do in minutes, thus freeing developers to focus on innovation. In order to solve this problem, we decided to design Wippy to not just handle a specific task but rather designing the process of task handling, letting our developers and Wippy itself to improve the flow of work constantly. Essentially, we let the system bootstrap itself through self modification, just as the learning process in engineering works.
- Dynamic Job Roles: The role of a developer changes all the time. If you have static, repeatable tasks, then AI is going to perform better here. However, there is a layer to development that involves creativity, strategic (and wholistic) thinking, and (what makes an engineer even better) a deep understanding of business needs—all areas where AI is still falling short. We built Wippy into a multi-agent system so that it can complement this dynamic environment, building tools that evolve with the developer’s needs and project requirements, rather than attempting to replace them. Let’s think about this another way. Ask any engineer you know, what percent of their job is something so routine that it no longer brings them joy? Some will be working on highly unique tasks and challenges and say just a few percent, while, others will mention up to 80% simply because they are assigned to repetitive tasks over and over. We realize that handling every task is not possible, but why not let the system handle the things that developers hate the most – integrations, documentation and etc.
- Beyond Simple Automation: Our concept is simple. We want developers to drive the process, but we want to give them the option to avoid doing the boring work that only a person knowing how to code can do. While AI frameworks and tools like Wippy can automate repetitive tasks, such as generating boilerplate code or updating documentation, they do not diminish the need for skilled developers. Instead, Wippy accelerates developers by automating these low-level tasks, and boosts their productivity and even better allows them to think about the best way to tackle more complex (and fun) challenges.
Wippy’s Role in the Next Generation of AI-Assisted Development
If we had to pull out our crystal ball, it’s clear that AI will play an increasingly significant role in strengthening a CTO’s or developer’s productivity. The head-spinning evolution of AI tools, that includes Wippy, isn’t going to replace developers but will transform how they work, the skills they will need to master and allow them to achieve more with less effort (something we all love but are inherent in the best developers).
- Improving the Developer Experience: One of the primary outcomes of AI in development is to improve the developer experience. Wippy’s agents, for instance, can automate the generation of stub classes based on a project’s current structure, significantly reducing the time developers spend on setup tasks. This allows them to dive straight into the more creative and fun aspects of their work. While more code-based knowledge bases emerge over time, we aim to substitute not only individual classes but the whole components suite, allowing Wippy to build a complete understating of the project and it’s integral parts.
- Following Compliance and Security: In today’s development environment, we have to make sure that the code written meets security and ethical standards. That is crucial. Wippy’s AI agents can help developers maintain these standards by automatically checking code against regulatory requirements and company policies, ideally catching potential issues early in the development process and squashing them.
Adapting to the Future with Wippy
As AI technology continues to evolve, the developer’s role is going to evolve. The key to staying relevant in this changing landscape is adaptation. Wippy is leading the charge in this transition, and a goal we have is to provide developers with the tools they need to remain competitive and innovative.
- Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Wippy’s framework is designed to learn and adapt over time. As it processes more data and interacts with developers, it becomes better at understanding and responding to the unique needs of each project. This continuous learning capability makes sure that Wippy remains a valuable tool in the developer’s arsenal, capable of evolving alongside their skills.
- Focus on Creativity and Innovation: By automating the mundane aspects of development, Wippy gives developers a chance to focus on what they do best—creating innovative solutions. One of the best things about AI is it won’t complain when you give it a crappy task. With Wippy handling the grunt work, developers can dedicate more time to exploring new ideas, experimenting with different approaches, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
- Supporting Collaboration and Integration: Wippy’s ability to integrate seamlessly with existing systems and workflows makes it an easy tool for teams to use. Whether you’re working on a small project or a large-scale enterprise application, Wippy’s agents can help streamline collaboration, that make sure everyone stays on the same page and that the project moves forward smoothly, even if an engineer leaves the project.
Preparing for the Future of Development
We believe that the future of software development is AI-led, engineer assisted, where AI and human intelligence work hand in hand. Wippy is a huge step in this direction, providing developers with the tools they need to navigate a quickly changing and complex landscape. By automating repetitive tasks, keeping an eye on compliance, and strengthening creativity, Wippy allows developers to focus on what truly matters—working on exciting projects and building the future.
As we move into this new era of AI-led development, it’s essential for developers to retool their skill sets and become masters of the “prompt.” Understanding how to harness AI, rather than ignoring, or worse, fearing it, will be crucial. Wippy is designed to support this transition, providing developers with the tools they need to stay ahead of the curve and prosper.
While the rise of AI and Agents may change the role of developers, developers aren’t going anywhere. The key to success in this new era will be adaptation, and Wippy is here to help developers navigate that journey.
