The introduction of generative AI tools has enabled certain tasks to be done much faster and efficiently. One that stands out most to me is its use to help with programming. In my second year of my Bachelor in Economics we had an introduction to R and Python course. During this time, we didn’t have any ChatGTP or other generative AI tools that could help with the exercises. Google and other resources would not be specific when helping debug errors. We would often rely on advice from upper-years or teacher assistants, however they also weren’t available to help at all times. Thus the coding exercises felt frustrating, tedious and time-consuming. Especially when programming for econometrics courses I would spend most of the time coding while the economic objective would be of greater importance.
Now with Generative AI I have a more positive experience with coding. When facing certain challenges I use AI to help with the codes for data visualization and analysis. I have assistance available at all times and can solve specific errors. Additionally, I can personalize the visualisation more to my liking. The use of Generative AI tools helps me have more time to focus on important aspects such as data collection and analysing data results.
Experiencing this shift did make me wonder: is learning coding necessary for the future? Already in the workforce the Amazon CEO is hiring less software engineers (Maruf, 2025). In the last two years, more than 30% of computer programming jobs have disappeared in the USA (Van Dam, 2025). It is especially evident that beginner-level programming jobs are disappearing. While coding has become more accessible with AI, there is now a shift in the skill set required for programmers. Instead of writing the physical code, programmers are expected to audit the code and evaluate biases as a result of generative AI tools. Overall, to answer the title question, I do not think the coding classes are useless for the future, as humans will still be necessary for the foundational coding knowledge to monitor the AI responses.
References:
Van Dam, A. (2025, March 14). More than a quarter of computer-programming jobs just vanished. What happened? The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/03/14/programming-jobs-lost-artificial-intelligence/
Maruf, R. (2025, June 17). Amazon AI to replace many human employees. CNN Business. https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/17/business/amazon-ai-human-employees-jobs
The decline in the number of jobs for entry level programmers is concerning as that will reduce the pool of talent for senior developer roles in the future. There seems to be a similar trend in other fields such as law and consulting as well where AI can manage to do the heavy lifting with research and writing drafts, thus requiring mainly guidance via prompts and quality checks from the senior staff. That said, when they retire, there will be no one to take up the mantle. That’s the most extreme outcome but unless there’s change it might be possible, however improbable it may seem today.
I completely relate to your experience with coding before the rise of generative AI tools. Debugging without specific guidance used to take so much time, and I agree that AI has really changed the learning curve. It’s impressive how tools like ChatGPT can now explain not just what to change but why, which actually improves understanding rather than just providing quick fixes.
Your point about the changing nature of programming jobs is very interesting. It seems we’re moving toward a future where critical thinking and problem formulation are more valuable than just writing lines of code. I also agree that having a solid foundation in coding will still be essential. AI can assist, but it still requires humans who understand logic, data ethics, and accuracy.
Interesting take; I am on the same page as you. I started coding 2 months ago because of personal interest in developing solutions in AI. The first thing I did was install Cursor and take on problems I found on the internet, which were completely impossible for me without the help of AI. It helped me understand the problem step by step, explained how the code should look and corrected any mistakes on my part. It helped me to overcome the initial barrier I had of starting with “hello world” and beginner projects, which did not make me feel productive. Now with the help of AI, many more could do the same, and I’m interested to see what will happen in the field. I’m lucky enough to have landed an entry-level position. But I see many others struggle with it.