Generative AI Impact on the Future of Work: Insights from Software Development

Recent Artificial Intelligence advancements raise concerns about the future of work, particularly technological unemployment. Studies show automation's impact, but tools like ChatGPT disrupt even traditionally secure professions like programming. In this study, we reevaluate AI's effects using a method to assess the impact of Generative AI technologies on occupations to understand the potential effects of Generative AI systems on software development work. Valuable insights were obtained by gathering the view of a group of workers, primarily composed of developers who are starting their careers, regarding the impact of these technologies on the tasks they perform to provide a comprehensive understanding of the implications of Generative AI for software development. Results show that all programming tasks performed by these workers would experience some impact by Generative AI -65% of the tasks being considerably impacted, 12% moderately impacted, and 18% minimally impacted. This analysis highlights the substantial influence of Generative AI technologies on software development, mainly affecting those in the early stages of their career. The results of this work contribute to the academic community with valuable information. Policymakers can also use this information, as this work provides a comprehensive view of the impacts of Generative AI on software developers, considering their direct impact on job tasks.