Will AI Replace Programmers? How the Role of Developers Is Changing
15 min. | 23. 3. 2026
In recent years, there has been growing discussion about how artificial intelligence is transforming software development and whether it could replace programmers altogether. The reality, however, is more complex — while AI can already generate code and accelerate development, the importance of skills such as system architecture design, working with data, understanding problems, and critically evaluating solutions is increasing. So how is the role of developers really changing, and what does it mean for studying software development today? The following questions were answered by Ing. Marek Beránek, Ph.D., CIO at Unicorn University.
In recent years, there has been a lot of discussion about AI programming instead of humans. How do you think the role of a software developer will actually change?
At the moment, we can see that AI is capable of generating parts of code, but it still requires a human who understands the problem, designs the system architecture, decides on technologies, and is able to critically evaluate the result. In my opinion, the role of a software developer is gradually shifting from a “code writer” to more of an architect, solution designer, and development coordinator who uses AI as a very powerful tool.
The startup Pencil, co-founded by our former student Tomáš Krcha, shows that websites or applications can be created using AI with almost no programming. Does this mean that traditional programming will gradually disappear?
Tools like Pencil and other AI-driven platforms will certainly change the way software is created, but they do not mean the end of programming. These tools are great for rapid prototyping or simpler applications. However, when it comes to more complex systems – such as banking systems, healthcare, industrial applications, or large online services – deep understanding of architecture, security, data models, and system integration is still required. AI therefore lowers the barrier to entry and speeds up development, but complex software will continue to require experienced developers and architects.
How is teaching at Unicorn University responding to these changes? Do students focus more on programming, or on designing and managing software development in the age of AI?
At Unicorn University, we aim to prepare students for the reality of modern development. Programming remains a foundation, because without understanding the principles of software, it is not possible to design systems effectively or use AI tools properly. At the same time, we place strong emphasis on software architecture, data work, cloud technologies, security, and the use of AI tools in development. Students learn not only how to write code, but also how to design systems, work with modern tools, and manage the entire development process. The goal is to educate developers who can use AI as a tool, rather than depend on it.
What skills do you think will be most important for future developers in the next 5–10 years, when AI can generate a large part of the code?
To be honest, it is very difficult to answer this question precisely, because the pace at which AI has been evolving in recent years is extremely fast and hard to predict. Nevertheless, I believe that skills that AI cannot yet easily replace will become increasingly important. These include system thinking and software architecture design, understanding data and data models, system security and reliability, the ability to formulate problems and design appropriate solutions, and the critical evaluation of AI-generated outputs. In simple terms, writing code will remain important, but even more important will be the ability to design, understand, and manage the creation of complex information systems, where AI is just one of the tools.
What would you say to high school students who are unsure whether it makes sense to study software development today, when AI can create an application “with just a few prompts”?
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