AI is speeding up coding, but it is not automatically improving apps

In short: AI tools are making it faster to write software, but that does not automatically mean the apps people use will get better.

What's going on

Large tech and consulting firms say AI is quickly changing how software gets made. They describe AI helping with routine work across the whole process, including planning features, writing common blocks of code, finding bugs, generating tests, and monitoring releases.

Microsoft, IBM, and Deloitte say developers can now spend less time on repetitive tasks. Examples include writing boilerplate code (standard, reused code), translating code between programming languages, creating tests, and watching CI/CD systems (automated pipelines that help ship updates, like an assembly line for software).

Some reporting also suggests app building is becoming more accessible. AI tools can lower the effort needed to make a working app, which can help smaller teams and even some non-technical people build simple software.

What to watch

Several sources caution that faster coding does not guarantee better apps. To improve what users actually experience, teams still need to make good decisions about the app’s design, structure, testing, security, and how updates get released. One way to think about it is that AI can help produce bricks faster, but you still need a solid blueprint and careful inspection to build a safe house.

Source: NYTimes