From Triumph to Uncertainty: The Journey of Software Engineering in the AI Era

• Published in: ACM transactions on software engineering and methodology 2024-12
• Main Authors: Mastropaolo, Antonio, Escobar-Velásquez, Camilo, Linares-Vásquez, Mario
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Software and its engineering; Software design engineering
• ISSN: 1049-331X; 1557-7392
• DOI: 10.1145/3709360

Over the last ten years, the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has experienced an explosion of revolutionary breakthroughs, transforming what seemed like a far-off dream into a reality that is now deeply embedded in our everyday lives. AI’s widespread impact is revolutionizing virtually all aspects of human life, and software engineering (SE) is no exception. As we explore this changing landscape, we are faced with questions about what the future holds for SE and how AI will reshape the roles, duties, and methodologies within the field. The introduction of these groundbreaking technologies highlights the inevitable shift towards a new paradigm, suggesting a future where AI’s capabilities may redefine the boundaries of SE, potentially even more than human input. In this paper, we aim at outlining the key elements that, based on our expertise, are vital for the smooth integration of AI into SE, all while preserving the intrinsic human creativity that has been the driving force behind the field. First, we provide a brief description of SE and AI evolution. Afterward, we delve into the intricate interplay between AI-driven automation and human innovation, exploring how these two components can work together to advance SE practices to new methods and standards.