It's clear today that the emergence of Artificial Intelligence will completely transform software development. It's now up to us humans to evolve and stay ahead of this transformation to ensure our tech teams remain relevant and effective in the era of AI.
And we better do it quickly. But how? How can companies that depend on human talent evolve with the speed of this technology and not fall behind?
After running a few discussions inside Smartexe and with tech executives, who happen to also be our customers, we came up with the following perspective:
Accepting that there are things that AI will take from us
AI is set to revolutionize software development by automating various tasks and providing data-driven insights. These tasks will be taken from human developers and their managers:
Complex calculations: AI will take away the tricky math and streamline all computation processes
Execution of repetitive tasks: Mundane and boring tasks will be automated
Error removal and Quality Assurance: AI systems will detect and correct our errors
Automation of routine tasks: AI will handle all routine tasks, improving speed and efficiency
Providing data-driven insights: AI will process our datasets and provide actionable insights in real-time
Providing recommendations: It will take a bit more time, but AI will also suggest possible courses of action, leaving us only with the need to make the right choices
Removing human inefficiencies on a group level
In this new world, humans are deemed to become the weakest link. To prevent this, we believe that tech executives should start focusing more on improving tech teams' agility and culture:
Effective exploration and discovery of new technologies and a culture of continuous learning: As progress becomes faster, it is more essential than ever to stay up-to-date and find the optimal tool for any task
Alignment of human effort: As execution becomes easier and faster, it will become increasingly important for human effort to be smooth, with all team members collaborating, moving in the same direction, and acting under the same vision
Quick decision-making processes and quick pivots: Fast, easy, and cheap execution will allow us to constantly test new products and directions. Teams that can run quick and effective tests will have a competitive edge.
Teamwork: Streamlining collaboration and removing obstacles will have a bigger impact than ever on overall performance.
Eliminating unnecessary politics: Politics hinder progress. Removing these obstacles and encouraging a conscientious culture is crucial for effective collaboration.
Evolving the human element on a personal level
No matter how far technology goes in the upcoming years, it's clear that it won't yet surpass us in being human. So, we've mapped out the human skills that will remain important over time, in which tech executives should continue investing:
Critical thinking and nuanced decision-making: Humans excel at making tricky choices when things get complicated. We can be super flexible and adaptable when needed, which should be encouraged and developed.
Seeing the big picture: Understanding one's role within a big corporate machine makes practices more aligned and effective. This perspective doesn't come naturally to all people, but can and should be taught.
Creativity: While AI performs well in creative tasks, creative humans still excel at finding unique, out-of-the-box solutions. In a world where everybody uses AI, this advantage becomes more important than ever.
Effective communication: Listening carefully to diverse perspectives and being able to present your perspective clearly are key to effective processes and practices.
Emotional intelligence: Being able to walk a mile in other people's shoes, whether these shoes belong to your clients or your peers, will stay as important as it is today.
Understanding complex social dynamics: People don't operate in a vacuum, so understanding cultural dynamics that shape certain behaviors, within a team and outside of it, is key to creating supportive and goal-oriented practices.
Leadership skills: Effective leadership is essential for guiding teams through challenges, fostering innovation, and driving results.
Do you like the way we think? Looking to add a small and super-effective organic team of developers to your company?
At Smartexe, we manage dozens of developer teams from Ukraine and other places in Eastern Europe. These are organic teams with healthy internal dynamics, ready to tackle your challenges and start delivering results from day one.
