ChatGPT and software development – where the application falls short?

ChatGPT is definitely a useful and unique application. Apart from delivering novels on the side or accomplishing sophisticated tasks within seconds, it still has some loopholes. Even though a software developer can use it to speed up the work, one has to be aware of the areas where ChatGPT falls short. As any other software, ChatGPT has limitations – and we are going to explore this field a bit more. Ready? Read on.

ChatGPT and problem-solving

Well, the problem-solving skill is a must-have for a software developer. So, software dev pros out there – don’t worry, the AI is not going to take your jobs any time soon. As an expert software developer, you have that skill ready to come up with a couple of potential solutions when you face a challenge. Then you do your magic – you use a programming language to translate what you have in mind to a compiler (or computer). AI will not do that. Sure, the machine-learning tools are very useful in terms of helping you type code quicker, but still – they’re unable to do the problem-solving task for you.

You are now in a project of building a large-scale application? Well, that app is made for humans, so – it requires human judgment to discern between bad and good code. While an AI tool can boost your performance in writing the code, it is not capable of solving the problems along the way. The tech industry requires critical thinking software developers. 

ChatGPT has no human judgment

This one is strictly related to the previous area. We know that ChatGPT is a great tool, but you have to keep in mind that its learning models are based on one thing. Namely, consuming the existing content. And the point is that ChatGPT only supplies data and facts… which the developers have extracted from 2021. For now, if you’re looking for something data-driven from the last year or the current one, ChatGPT cannot provide you with it.

So, as the output given by ChatGPT comes from extracted data from 2021 and is based on existing content, another issue emerges. The answers can contain errors and mistakes. It’s inevitable. Without human judgment and a bit of research, you cannot be sure if the generated code is suitable for your particular situation. Again – ChatGPT can accelerate the process of typing code, but you have to ensure it works as you intended, and you cannot just copy/paste ChatGPT’s output.

Chat GPT has a limited perspective

It’s a machine-learning tool. Thus, Its suggestions are based on the data it is trained with. Combine that with the fact that the answers are always served with utmost confidence. So, if it – for example – mistakes a frequently repeated code snippet as a best practice, you can end up with bad code. It is definitely a room for vulnerability or inefficiency.

Furthermore, no metrics can give you that confidence that you have the right answer. As a software developer, you need multidimensional data – a kind of big picture. You can find that on GitHub or StackOverflow, as you can see other users’ content. This helps you get the context, validate suggestions, check upvotes, etc. ChatGPT does not have that perspective, it provides you with what the algorithm decides is best, based on its training. So, to make the long story short – it is sometimes better and faster to craft your code from scratch, than spend time on validating the AI’s output.

ChatGPT is not going to help you get hired

Typing code faster is a useful skill, no doubt about that. But a software developer’s job is far more than typing code. You have to have that problem-solving skill and a unique experience set. Soft skills, hard skills – each professional software dev has his own set and can craft innovative solutions in particular industries/areas of work. A machine learning tool is still a tool. Thus, don’t worry about your job. While you can skyrocket your efficiency when you use ChatGPT and have that edge over competitors, the AI tool itself can only be your advantage, not a challenger who can take your position.

Leverage the ChatGPT for yourself

Technology is here to make things easier. You know, Siri or Alexa can help you with a bunch of things, but they can’t help you with complex efforts. Like, they won’t be useful when you want to make substantial life changes. Kind of, you can ask them to find a fancy new doormat, but they surely are not the source to ask for advice when you wish to change your life and move to Australia. So, if you ask us – be open to learning how to use ChatGPT or any other machine learning tool, invest in developing your other skills – that’s the way to go. We follow that path and use AI when we craft sophisticated solutions. Still, people are the pillars of our company, and we rely on our team, not on algorithms.