8 answers
Aaron
Student
Monrovia, California
1
Question
Updated
3586 views
What are your predictions for the future of the IT industry? Do you think that I am preparing well enough?
Hi everyone, this is my first post on CareerVillage.org.
First, some background about me. I’m currently a freshman in high school (about to finish the year) and I’m working hard to prepare for a future career as a software engineer. I’ve been self-studying computer science outside of school, and I first started with Harvard’s CS50 and got through the first three weeks, then pivoted to The Odin Project, another CS course, because I wanted to focus more on web development.
I’ll finish The Odin Project fundamentals before June, and I plan to complete the Full Stack JavaScript path within 4–6 months. After that, I want to spend around 3 months learning backend development with either Node.js or Python. By that point, I’ll be midway through my sophomore year and hopefully I’ll start building projects and apps that are able to make an impact.
Now onto the topic of AI. I’ve watched countless Youtube videos about how AI will impact the software engineering industry right now. The general consensus now seems to be that AI won’t replace developers entirely, but knowing how to utilize AI is a must. I have two questions that I hope people will put the time in to answer:
Right now, AI will not make software engineers go extinct. But I will graduate in 2032. I know it’s super hard to know what will happen in seven years, but that’s why I’m asking for your guy’s predictions.
Now the more important question. If you were in my shoes, what would you do? Would you continue on the path that I’m already on, or will you take a different route? If so, what would you suggest?
Thanks in advance for any advice that you can share.
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8 answers
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Electrical Engineer, Software Developer, and Career Mentor
520
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
You’ve got a long way to go to become a software engineer, but if I were in your shoes, here’s what I would do:
I would continue pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering and fully commit to the journey. Alongside academics, I would build personal projects to strengthen my skills and portfolio. I’d seek out volunteer roles, internships, and participate in hackathons, coding competitions, meetups, conferences, and fellowships to grow both technically and professionally.
Creating a GitHub account to share and contribute to open-source projects is crucial. I would also build a LinkedIn profile to network with like-minded professionals and mentors in the field. To stay competitive, I would make continuous learning a habit—keeping up with industry trends and mastering emerging technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI). From what I understand, AI will not replace software engineers. In fact, software engineers who are skilled in AI are among the most in-demand professionals today.
If you're passionate about software engineering, pursue it with confidence. Don’t fear being replaced—technology evolves, but it also creates new opportunities. And even in the unlikely event of major disruption, as a software engineer, you’ll have the tools to adapt, innovate, and even launch your own startup. Many tech entrepreneurs—like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and the founders of TikTok—started with an idea and used coding to bring it to life. Remember, being a software engineer isn’t just about writing code—it's about solving real-world problems creatively, building solutions that matter, and making a lasting impact. So keep learning, keep building, and know that you are on the right track— never stop growing.
I would continue pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering and fully commit to the journey. Alongside academics, I would build personal projects to strengthen my skills and portfolio. I’d seek out volunteer roles, internships, and participate in hackathons, coding competitions, meetups, conferences, and fellowships to grow both technically and professionally.
Creating a GitHub account to share and contribute to open-source projects is crucial. I would also build a LinkedIn profile to network with like-minded professionals and mentors in the field. To stay competitive, I would make continuous learning a habit—keeping up with industry trends and mastering emerging technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI). From what I understand, AI will not replace software engineers. In fact, software engineers who are skilled in AI are among the most in-demand professionals today.
If you're passionate about software engineering, pursue it with confidence. Don’t fear being replaced—technology evolves, but it also creates new opportunities. And even in the unlikely event of major disruption, as a software engineer, you’ll have the tools to adapt, innovate, and even launch your own startup. Many tech entrepreneurs—like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and the founders of TikTok—started with an idea and used coding to bring it to life. Remember, being a software engineer isn’t just about writing code—it's about solving real-world problems creatively, building solutions that matter, and making a lasting impact. So keep learning, keep building, and know that you are on the right track— never stop growing.
Dan Mohl
Managing Director
2
Answers
Nashville, Tennessee
Updated
Dan’s Answer
I want to commend you for your dedication and continued passion for computer science, especially given the ongoing discussions about the potential impact of AI on related professions. Throughout its history, computer science has continually evolved, often in response to transformative advancements. During each of these pivotal moments, similar concerns were raised about the future need for experts in the field. However, rather than diminishing opportunities, these changes have consistently led to an increased demand for skilled engineers. As we navigate the current inflection point brought about by the rise of AI, it is clear that the nature of our work and the tools we use are evolving. Nevertheless, there will always be a need for experienced and knowledgeable professionals who possess a deep understanding of technology and can apply that expertise to achieve meaningful outcomes.
Ram Ramdattan
Consulting
9
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Ram’s Answer
Hello Aaron,
In the history of technology and software over the last 50 years, only more jobs have been created. The demand for software engineers in particular have only continued to grow. AI is a force multiplier. Think of AI as a 2 or 3 computers within a single computer. It helps one to do more. As a result, some activities may get abstracted. But then we have had a history of abstractions. There was a time not far back when one had to actually 'switch on an internet'- ie turn on the dial up modem, connect etc. Today there is wifi and cellular 5G everywhere, so this experience has been abstracted away. Similarly some activities that a software engineer does may dissolve but in its place, new activities will spring up. The fundamentals of how to write good idiomatic code, rigor in writing test cases, reviewing code, automated testing etc will not go away. And so will how to design architecture and related software for operating systems, protocols, API's, applications, infrastructure, observability and testing tools. There are whole new spaces turning up as we speak- eg AI driven cars that need software for monitoring, connectivity, safety etc, robotics in every situation - home, mobile or industrial, chip design software, building automation, AI data center software etc, spacecraft etc. Basically the applications are nearly endless
So keep an open mind and focus on the fundamentals to learn one or two languages very well. And use top vendor frameworks- eg the NeMo framework from Nvidia to write and deploy AI microservices
Be curious and be ready to pivot as the opportunities expand and the industry changes
Good luck in your career journey!
In the history of technology and software over the last 50 years, only more jobs have been created. The demand for software engineers in particular have only continued to grow. AI is a force multiplier. Think of AI as a 2 or 3 computers within a single computer. It helps one to do more. As a result, some activities may get abstracted. But then we have had a history of abstractions. There was a time not far back when one had to actually 'switch on an internet'- ie turn on the dial up modem, connect etc. Today there is wifi and cellular 5G everywhere, so this experience has been abstracted away. Similarly some activities that a software engineer does may dissolve but in its place, new activities will spring up. The fundamentals of how to write good idiomatic code, rigor in writing test cases, reviewing code, automated testing etc will not go away. And so will how to design architecture and related software for operating systems, protocols, API's, applications, infrastructure, observability and testing tools. There are whole new spaces turning up as we speak- eg AI driven cars that need software for monitoring, connectivity, safety etc, robotics in every situation - home, mobile or industrial, chip design software, building automation, AI data center software etc, spacecraft etc. Basically the applications are nearly endless
So keep an open mind and focus on the fundamentals to learn one or two languages very well. And use top vendor frameworks- eg the NeMo framework from Nvidia to write and deploy AI microservices
Be curious and be ready to pivot as the opportunities expand and the industry changes
Good luck in your career journey!
Jason White
Lead Product Manager- Network Security
179
Answers
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Jason’s Answer
Hey Aaron,
This is great you are looking so heavily AND working toward what you are interested in. That's a skill that is going to take you far. As for my predictions I believe you are correct that AI won't make developers go extinct but it will augment the way that they work. Being able to leverage AI to build something faster, more secure, and more efficiently will be a critical part of any developers role in the coming years so that is what I would focus on. You are getting a good grasp of the fundamentals in your self study that I believe will be CRITICAL in the years to come as anyone will be able to get AI to spit out some code and slap an app together. However, those who have an in depth understanding of the AI outputs and can augment them in order to build something that is more cohesive and addresses the needs of the end user is where developers with a good grasp on how CS works will shine. So continue to let your interest guide you to learn and pursue that degree in CS. I always recommend to take some business courses as well to learn how what your job does ties into the business objectives or should you pursue entrepreneurship how to effectively run a business which is common in tech as you can tell. You'll get the full picture that way. Let your interest guide your learning you're off to a great start so young.
This is great you are looking so heavily AND working toward what you are interested in. That's a skill that is going to take you far. As for my predictions I believe you are correct that AI won't make developers go extinct but it will augment the way that they work. Being able to leverage AI to build something faster, more secure, and more efficiently will be a critical part of any developers role in the coming years so that is what I would focus on. You are getting a good grasp of the fundamentals in your self study that I believe will be CRITICAL in the years to come as anyone will be able to get AI to spit out some code and slap an app together. However, those who have an in depth understanding of the AI outputs and can augment them in order to build something that is more cohesive and addresses the needs of the end user is where developers with a good grasp on how CS works will shine. So continue to let your interest guide you to learn and pursue that degree in CS. I always recommend to take some business courses as well to learn how what your job does ties into the business objectives or should you pursue entrepreneurship how to effectively run a business which is common in tech as you can tell. You'll get the full picture that way. Let your interest guide your learning you're off to a great start so young.
Munu Gandhi
Technology
5
Answers
Oak Brook, Illinois
Updated
Munu’s Answer
Your thoughtful approach to learning and the plan you've made are fantastic! While predicting the world in 2032 is tough, you're on the right path by focusing on coding languages and platforms. As you keep learning and the world changes with AI, you might need to adjust your plan. Keep mastering the basics of these languages and platforms to create real value. Also, try to include some business and entrepreneurship courses in your learning. You're going to do amazing!
Margaret O'Connor
Senior ERP Consultant
4
Answers
Kansas City, Missouri
Updated
Margaret’s Answer
Aaron - these are great questions to be asking and good to think about even with your graduation date 7 years away! My advice is that while AI has and will continue to change the way we interact with technology - you will not be replaceable and new AI /Automation opportunities will arise. Think about how back before computers how we evolved to use them as a tool to make our jobs easier. While some careers needed to shift due to the rise of the information age - so many new opportunities came about due to the advent of this technology. You can think of AI the same way. Becoming familiar with AI and the infrastructure surrounding it will make you an invaluable asset to any company come graduation!
Jennifer Bloomquist- CIPP/US/E, CIPM
Risk Specialist for Privacy and Confidentiality Impact Accessments
11
Answers
Clarksville, Tennessee
Updated
Jennifer’s Answer
Aaron,
Your questions are insightful. The entire landscape is changing rapidly. I'm not a developer or software engineer, so my advice is coming from the risk domain. The other answers I've read that are more technical I also think are very good advice.
My prediction is that data privacy laws worldwide are going to continue to evolve, and AI governance is going to have to evolve along with it. Outsourcing and insourcing of labor is also going to adapt to both the challenges and benefits of AI. Both will affect the domestic and global job markets.
My advice is when you're getting close to entering the job market around the time you finish your studies in 2032, one way to differentiate yourself is to get a CIPT (Certified Information Privacy Technologist) and/or AIGP certification(s) (AI Governance Professional) or whatever the equivalent certification is in the year 2032. I wouldn't obtain these certifications until you're either close to entering the labor market or early in your career due to the cost of obtaining and maintaining them as well as how fast AI is changing everything. A good chunk of info in these certifications will have to be updated between now and 2032.
https://iapp.org/certify/cipt/
https://iapp.org/certify/aigp/
There will no doubt be a lot of AI certifications available to obtain in 2032 that will probably be more technical than these two certifications, but you'll stand out in the job market because every organization today has to grapple with the issues of law, privacy, and how governance is impacted, including AI governance. I predict that those issues will be even more important in the future.
Even if you choose not to obtain these certs, I recommend bookmarking the iapp.org website because they have a lot of good information about the changing landscape, state and global laws, etc.
I also recommend reading the equivalent edition of these books near the year you graduate or when you're early in you career.
https://store.iapp.org/cybersecurity-law-fundamentals-second-edition-digital/
https://store.iapp.org/strategic-privacy-by-design-second-edition-digital/
I don't personally believe that AI will ever fully replace developers because of the legal considerations for privacy by design and designing for global legal compliance. There's too much human judgement needed due to how much nuance there is, the jurisdiction(s) applicable to any company developing new products, the reality that sometimes the laws in one jurisdiction contradict the laws in another jurisdiction but the end user's location and scope applies to both jurisdictions, etc.
Right now, the EU is leading the way globally in terms of it's AI act. The website below outlines all the different deadlines for compliance with the AI act. The web page goes all the way to 2031. The GDPR (General Data Privacy Regulation) in the EU also influences any covered entities of that regulation from a privacy perspective.
https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/implementation-timeline/
https://gdpr-info.eu/
In the US, a lot of state laws surrounding privacy are being or have been enacted. California is leading the way with its AI act and the CCPA(California Consumer Privacy Act):
https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB942/id/2964649
https://www.oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa
An example demonstrating the sticky issues about this in lay terms that regulators have/are grappling with: The European Union's GDPR law and many US state laws have a provision that gives data subjects (the person whose personal data is being accessed/used/deleted/processed/etc.) the right to correct incorrect information about them that a controller (entity/company processing that personal data) has about that person. Suppose an LLM or other AI model has used that person's original information to train. How does the AI get untrained to exclude the incorrect information about that person and then retrained to include the corrected information about that person in those places where the law(s) applies?
AI
AIGovernance
CCPA
GDPR
Privacy
PrivacybyDesign
IAPP
CIPT
AIGP
Your questions are insightful. The entire landscape is changing rapidly. I'm not a developer or software engineer, so my advice is coming from the risk domain. The other answers I've read that are more technical I also think are very good advice.
My prediction is that data privacy laws worldwide are going to continue to evolve, and AI governance is going to have to evolve along with it. Outsourcing and insourcing of labor is also going to adapt to both the challenges and benefits of AI. Both will affect the domestic and global job markets.
My advice is when you're getting close to entering the job market around the time you finish your studies in 2032, one way to differentiate yourself is to get a CIPT (Certified Information Privacy Technologist) and/or AIGP certification(s) (AI Governance Professional) or whatever the equivalent certification is in the year 2032. I wouldn't obtain these certifications until you're either close to entering the labor market or early in your career due to the cost of obtaining and maintaining them as well as how fast AI is changing everything. A good chunk of info in these certifications will have to be updated between now and 2032.
https://iapp.org/certify/cipt/
https://iapp.org/certify/aigp/
There will no doubt be a lot of AI certifications available to obtain in 2032 that will probably be more technical than these two certifications, but you'll stand out in the job market because every organization today has to grapple with the issues of law, privacy, and how governance is impacted, including AI governance. I predict that those issues will be even more important in the future.
Even if you choose not to obtain these certs, I recommend bookmarking the iapp.org website because they have a lot of good information about the changing landscape, state and global laws, etc.
I also recommend reading the equivalent edition of these books near the year you graduate or when you're early in you career.
https://store.iapp.org/cybersecurity-law-fundamentals-second-edition-digital/
https://store.iapp.org/strategic-privacy-by-design-second-edition-digital/
I don't personally believe that AI will ever fully replace developers because of the legal considerations for privacy by design and designing for global legal compliance. There's too much human judgement needed due to how much nuance there is, the jurisdiction(s) applicable to any company developing new products, the reality that sometimes the laws in one jurisdiction contradict the laws in another jurisdiction but the end user's location and scope applies to both jurisdictions, etc.
Right now, the EU is leading the way globally in terms of it's AI act. The website below outlines all the different deadlines for compliance with the AI act. The web page goes all the way to 2031. The GDPR (General Data Privacy Regulation) in the EU also influences any covered entities of that regulation from a privacy perspective.
https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/implementation-timeline/
https://gdpr-info.eu/
In the US, a lot of state laws surrounding privacy are being or have been enacted. California is leading the way with its AI act and the CCPA(California Consumer Privacy Act):
https://legiscan.com/CA/text/SB942/id/2964649
https://www.oag.ca.gov/privacy/ccpa
An example demonstrating the sticky issues about this in lay terms that regulators have/are grappling with: The European Union's GDPR law and many US state laws have a provision that gives data subjects (the person whose personal data is being accessed/used/deleted/processed/etc.) the right to correct incorrect information about them that a controller (entity/company processing that personal data) has about that person. Suppose an LLM or other AI model has used that person's original information to train. How does the AI get untrained to exclude the incorrect information about that person and then retrained to include the corrected information about that person in those places where the law(s) applies?
AI
AIGovernance
CCPA
GDPR
Privacy
PrivacybyDesign
IAPP
CIPT
AIGP
Vijay Sharma
Technical analyst
9
Answers
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Updated
Vijay’s Answer
The IT industry will keep evolving rapidly, with AI becoming a powerful tool that enhances software engineering rather than replaces it. By 2032, developers who can effectively use AI, adapt quickly, and focus on problem-solving and creativity will thrive.
You’re on a solid path—building strong web development skills and planning backend learning is great. To future-proof yourself, keep:
Learning AI and machine learning basics.
Building real projects that solve problems.
Developing soft skills like communication and teamwork.
Staying curious and adaptable as tech changes.
Keep your current plan but stay flexible and open to emerging tech trends
You’re on a solid path—building strong web development skills and planning backend learning is great. To future-proof yourself, keep:
Learning AI and machine learning basics.
Building real projects that solve problems.
Developing soft skills like communication and teamwork.
Staying curious and adaptable as tech changes.
Keep your current plan but stay flexible and open to emerging tech trends