The role of the developer is undergoing a transformation driven by technological advancements. From the early days of machine language coding to today’s complex cloud-based architectures, software development has always evolved alongside emerging tools and paradigms.

Now, with the rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a new stage in this transformation is unfolding. AI will not only change how we build systems but will also redefine the role of developers, creating new opportunities and requiring new skills.

In this article, we explore the impact of this transformation on the everyday lives of technology professionals. We’ll look at how AI can become a valuable ally in the software creation process, the new market dynamics, and the skills needed to adapt to this evolving landscape.

How the Role of Developers Will Change

The role of the future developer will be more strategic and multifaceted. The growing automation and advancement of AI technologies require developers to evolve into roles that combine technical knowledge with a broad understanding of the market and economic impact. This shift is exemplified by three major trends:

Less Coding, More Strategic and Business Insight

The increasing use of AI-based coding assistants that generate code on demand is shifting the developer's focus toward more strategic tasks such as design, architecture, and orchestration. The decreased need to write code doesn’t mean the elimination of the developer’s role, but a transformation. Developers will focus more on complex, strategic activities like data analysis, decision-making, and integration with various AI services, playing an essential role in building solutions that align technology and business.

The Emergence of the “Software Composer”

The developer, now more closely aligned with the product as a business element and not just a technological one, assumes a greater responsibility in creating digital solutions. Skills in digital product management, UX, and, above all, business acumen are crucial to building products that not only meet technical requirements but also deliver exceptional user experiences.

I recall the early days of the internet, when we had the figure of the Webmaster— a generalist who knew how to create content, design, update websites, and serve users. In a way, the emergence of the Software Composer, in comparison to the Software Developer, represents a return to a more generalist and less specialized professional profile.

The Future Developer Will Be a Hybrid of Current Specialized Roles

The developer of the future will not only be a technical expert but also a product owner. This hybrid profile requires not only technical skills but also soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and empathy, as well as product management knowledge.

They will need to have a deep understanding of areas like machine learning, data engineering, and security, while also possessing market insight, understanding the needs of both users and businesses. This new generation of developers will need to be multidisciplinary, working across various fronts and managing solutions that connect different technological and business areas.

The future developer’s profile will be significantly broader than what we know today. While technical competencies will remain essential, the increasing automation of repetitive coding tasks by AI will require adaptation and the development of new skills.

The developer will be more than a code executor; they will become a strategist, capable of working with AI to deliver innovative and impactful solutions, as well as collaborating and communicating effectively with teams from other departments.

With AI taking over many technical tasks, new skills will be crucial for developers:

Collaboration Skills with AI: Knowing how to guide, correct, and extract the most from an AI tool using prompt engineering.

Strategic Vision: Understanding the impact of creations within the context of business and society.

Creative Problem Solving: Going beyond code and seeking innovative solutions for complex problems.

Continuous Learning Capability: In a rapidly changing environment, constant adaptation will be essential.

Exploring Creativity and Innovation: Focusing on connecting technology with human needs, leading transformative initiatives. With AI automating manual tasks, developers will have more time to focus on creativity, allowing for greater innovation.

They will be able to work in areas such as experience design, sustainability, and social impact, with the potential to create solutions for global challenges such as digital accessibility and energy resource optimization.

3 large groups of developers

The future will also bring different developer profiles, specialized in distinct but complementary areas:

1. Full Stack Digital Solution Developer: The "full stack" concept evolves to encompass not only front-end and back-end but also complex integrations with AI APIs, cloud computing, and DevOps. These developers become creators of complete solutions, considering user experience, product impact, and business metrics. They don't just build; they also ensure that solutions are scalable, integrated, and aligned with the company's strategic goals.

2. Infrastructure and Security Developer: The growing complexity of cloud orchestration, observability, cybersecurity, and data protection makes this profile crucial. Experts in Infrastructure as Code (IaC), compliance, and regulations like LGPD/GDPR will be essential to ensure resilience, compliance, and security in highly distributed environments integrated with AI. This profile will be vital in ensuring that technological solutions operate securely, efficiently, and in compliance with global regulations.

3. AI Developer: This profile involves developing and training Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and MLOps models. The work of an AI developer goes beyond pure research, focusing on datasets, data pipelines, model deployment, and monitoring models in production. While advanced research may center around theoretical innovation, practical application in businesses requires these professionals to integrate AI models into daily operations, ensuring they are scalable, accurate, and effective in the real world.

Developer education will need to evolve to encompass both technical knowledge and behavioral skills. The integration of AI into the daily life of businesses will reshape the developer's role, making them more than just a programmer: they will become strategists and curators of solutions, guiding the use of AI to meet business objectives and end-user expectations. The importance of humans as decision-makers will remain a cornerstone of technological development.

These changes don’t signify the end of the developer’s role, but rather its transformation, enabling them to become the archetype of the future technology professional—strategic, creative, and focused on human impact.

How the Developer's Daily Life Will Transform

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will cease to be just a technical tool and will become an essential strategic partner in software development.

AI will not only accelerate code creation but also optimize task efficiency. With AI, repetitive activities and even more complex processes can be automated, allowing developers to focus on more creative and innovative challenges.

For example, AI can drastically reduce the time needed to implement new features. It can help write and even review code while the developer focuses on areas that require human intelligence, such as improving the user experience or refining the system architecture.

In the near future, AI could function as an abstraction layer between the developer and the technical details of development. Instead of worrying about programming languages, frameworks, or specific methodologies, developers will be able to express their ideas more simply, and AI will transform these ideas into executable code. This will allow more people, even with less technical expertise, to get involved in the software creation process.

AI as the Protagonist in Software Development

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), a developing concept, promises to become an even more active agent in software creation, delegating increasingly complex tasks.

Instead of writing code manually, future developers will work side by side with AI, guiding it and overseeing its actions. Imagine a scenario where AI writes most of the code, while the developer focuses on high-level problems, such as defining the system architecture or solving creative challenges, as well as reviewing the code generated by AI.

This model not only accelerates development but also frees professionals to focus on strategic and innovative tasks.

AI as an Abstraction Layer

AI will also function as an intermediary between the developer and the complexity of the system.

Technical terms like programming languages, frameworks, agile methods, and design patterns may become secondary. The focus will shift to the final product’s objective, with AI automating the technical details that currently consume a large part of the developers' time.

For example, when creating an app, instead of choosing a specific language or framework, the developer could describe what they want in natural language, and AI would transform that description into executable code.

This evolution democratizes development, allowing people with less technical expertise to actively participate in simpler projects. Meanwhile, more complex projects will continue to require experienced professionals.

AI-Assisted Project Management

Beyond revolutionizing software development, AI will also transform project management.

Traditional methods like Scrum and Kanban, which today mainly serve to coordinate complex teams of specialists, may become obsolete or evolve into systems where AI continuously monitors the project's progress, identifies bottlenecks, and suggests solutions before problems become critical. This integration will enable teams to be leaner and more productive, perhaps resembling the structure of advertising agency teams, where "squads" have only 3 or 4 professionals.

Imagine a project manager using AI to automatically assess the impact of an additional requirement in real-time, balancing efforts and deadlines without the need for long planning meetings.

The introduction of AI-powered tools signals the end of many traditional development methods. Manual and iterative practices, which today require significant time and effort, could be replaced by processes where AI automates much of the software lifecycle. Therefore, the role of the developer will shift from being centered on "how to do" to "what to do."

The New Era of Custom Software

With the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI), custom software development is no longer a privilege of large corporations. It has now become a reality accessible to businesses of all sizes, from small startups to market giants.

AI-powered tools allow companies to request tailor-made solutions more quickly, at lower costs, and without the need for major investments in time or resources. This is democratizing access to highly personalized software, leveling the playing field. On the other hand, off-the-shelf software has become more customizable, reducing the gap between custom-built and off-the-shelf software.

This revolution will change the market dynamics, creating a healthier competitive environment where innovation becomes the key differentiator. The development of tailored solutions aligned with the specific needs of each company will lead to greater efficiency and innovation in business processes.

However, this evolution brings challenges for both large corporations and startups. Large companies will need to innovate continuously to remain competitive in a more dynamic and agile market, while startups will benefit from lower development costs and faster adaptability.

With AI, the cost of creating custom solutions decreases, allowing startups to leverage this change to innovate at an accelerated pace. Meanwhile, large companies will need to transform their structures, strategically adopting AI to increase their adaptability and stay ahead in the market. Here's what will change:

More Efficient Custom Solutions

AI not only optimizes the creation of new systems but also revolutionizes software maintenance. Today, managing legacy systems and updating outdated code are complex and costly tasks.

In the future, AI will handle continuous and proactive maintenance, without the need for constant human intervention. Code refactoring, bug fixing, and system updates will be automated, faster, and more reliable, allowing companies to focus on growth and innovation.

The Future of Fully Customized Software

With the combination of AI and accessible development tools, we envision a future where all software is highly customized to meet the specific needs of each user or organization. This eliminates reliance on generic solutions and opens doors for strategic differentiation by creating unique and exclusive products.

Imagine small businesses requesting tailor-made software for their operations at a fraction of the current cost. AI will design, develop, and deploy solutions within days or even hours, making custom software accessible to a much larger range of companies and organizations.

Simplified and Efficient Maintenance

One of the biggest challenges in software development today is maintaining legacy systems, which are costly and time-consuming.

With AI, refactoring software from scratch will become a more efficient solution than continuous maintenance. The focus will be on creating the ideal solution for the moment, without worrying about the longevity of systems, creating a new paradigm where maintenance will no longer be a constant burden.

Space for Innovation and Experimentation

With the reduction in costs associated with software development and maintenance, companies will have more resources available to tackle more complex problems or explore innovations.

This scenario creates an environment conducive to experimentation, especially in sectors like healthcare, education, energy, and sustainability. For example, startups will have the ability to create prototypes quickly and cheaply, testing solutions in an agile cycle before scaling them to a larger market. AI will enable a more dynamic and creative approach, allowing companies to adapt and innovate rapidly to meet new market demands.

Today's Problems Will Be Solved Simply and Cheaply

What seems complex today, with the help of AI, will be progressively simplified and solved more cheaply. However, it's important to note that even with this evolution, there will always be problems to solve. After all, humanity is far from having no challenges to address.

Furthermore, as technology advances, new problems arise, often even more challenging. AI will free up resources that will allow us to focus on more complex and larger issues, such as advanced medical diagnoses, environmental issues, or optimization of global logistics systems.

Problems that were once considered extremely complex and difficult will gradually become accessible for resolution. This will free up space for us to tackle even more complex and significant problems, advancing further in innovation.

The Software That Is Complex Today Will Become Cheaper, But Complex Software Will Still Be Expensive

Although AI simplifies the creation of today's complex software and allows it to be produced at a near-zero cost in some cases, the most intricate challenges and advanced solutions will still come with a price. This is because these systems require higher levels of intelligence, security, architecture, integration with multiple services, and, most importantly, pure innovation—something still distant for AI.

New Paradigms for the Future

The evolution of AI also brings new paradigms in software development. One such paradigm is the "System of Agents," which represents a new model of autonomous software architecture. These systems require more sophisticated human creation, going beyond simple coding.

In the near future, creating these systems will demand developers with much broader and integrated skills, where artificial intelligence and system architecture come together dynamically.

This will require new types of professionals—developers who, in addition to being coders, will also be architects of human solutions, focused on more complex problems that require a more creative and collaborative approach.

The New Software Economy

The low cost of software development, thanks to AI, will create new business models, especially in the tech sector. Startups will be able to compete on equal footing with large companies, while the latter will need to continuously seek innovation to remain relevant.

Competitiveness in the software market will no longer be determined by the ability to develop high-quality software at a high cost. Instead, differentiation will come from creativity, speed of adaptation, and the ability to provide tailor-made solutions for clients.

Necessary Organizational Transformation

To effectively integrate AI into the development process, companies will need to undergo an organizational transformation.

Teams will need to be restructured to collaborate with machines, and the organizational culture will need to be adjusted to support constant innovation. Adopting AI will require an agile mindset, where experimentation and adaptation are key to success.

Conclusion

The role of the developer will not disappear, but the profile of the professional is constantly evolving. It's important to emphasize that developers will code less, but that doesn't mean development itself will be less relevant.

With the advancement of technologies like artificial intelligence and automation, part of the manual labor and even some coding tasks will be automated, allowing developers to focus on higher-value activities, such as creating innovative solutions, system architecture, and solving complex problems.

Additionally, other attributes that are currently less in demand will start to gain more importance. Skills like communication, creativity, critical thinking, and the ability to work with multidisciplinary teams will become more essential. The developer of the future will be not just a technician, but also a problem solver, able to integrate different areas of knowledge and apply technology strategically to solve real-world issues.

The true transformation, however, lies in the potential for change that current and future technologies bring to humanity.

The role of developers will be crucial in creating solutions that help solve major global problems, such as climate change, resource scarcity, energy, healthcare, and education.

With the ongoing development of technologies and innovation, humanity has the opportunity to thrive in ways never seen before, creating a more sustainable and prosperous future.

This transition is an opportunity for developers to not only master technology but also become protagonists of a new era, in which technology serves humanity in a broader and more transformative way.