Automate all things

In recent years, automation has changed the landscape of work by digitizing boring and repetitive tasks. Artificial Intelligence (AI) goes a step further by not only taking over these tasks but also venturing into more complex challenges that are not explicitly programmed. This represents a significant shift for positions such as administrative staff involved in invoice control, and planners who have to manage complex schedules. At Decoders, we recognize this shift and are anticipating the changing nature of work.

In the complex world of software development, we are also beginning to see the benefits of AI. At Decoders, we deploy tools like GitHub's Copilot and ChatGPT to accelerate and enrich our development processes. GitHub's Copilot, for example, analyzes our code in real-time and suggests next steps, making coding faster and more efficient. It is astonishing how it can sometimes generate complete functions based on just a function name. Although initially surprising, this demonstrates the power of AI to recognize patterns and learn from existing codebases.

The rise of ChatGPT over the past year has captured global attention, with ambitious promises to change the world for the better (2022). At Decoders, we use ChatGPT for a wide range of tasks: from creating text, improving spelling and translations, finding problems to coding issues and code generation. Although the promised revolution is still in progress, ChatGPT has proven to be a valuable assistant, superior to traditional tools like Stack Overflow, Google Translate, and Google Search, especially due to its ability to understand context and adapt accordingly to provide better responses.

While AI is not yet capable of writing code entirely independently without human intervention, the progress is undeniable. AI systems learn from existing data and still rely on human guidance to tackle future challenges. This perspective confirms that the role of developers is secure in the near future, as their insight and expertise remain crucial for guiding AI towards the right solutions.

The integration of AI into software development is a reality we cannot ignore. We must adapt and prepare for a future where AI and human expertise collaborate to innovate faster and more efficiently. At Decoders, we welcome this change with open arms, convinced it will help us achieve better results with less effort. In the words of Bill Gates: "I choose a lazy person to do a hard job, because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it." This philosophy reflects our approach: to work smart, not harder, with AI as our ally.