Coding in the Age of AI: Copilot and ChatGPT

"AI will write code." Yes. It already does. "Software Engineers are dead." No. The job description just changed.

The New Workflow

1. The Researcher (ChatGPT/Claude)

Instead of Googling "How to center div" and clicking 3 links: Prompt: "How do I center a div using Tailwind Grid?" Result: Instant answer. Risk: If you don't understand the answer, you can't debug it.

2. The Autocomplete (GitHub Copilot)

It predicts your next 10 lines. Best for: Boilerplate, Unit tests, Regex, API calls. Worst for: Business logic, Complex architecture.

3. The Refactorer

Paste messy code: "Refactor this to be more readable and follow DRY." It catches edge cases you missed.

The Dangers

1. Hallucinations: AI invents libraries that don't exist.
2. Security: Pasting API keys or proprietary code.
3. Junior Trap: Juniors relying on AI don't build the "mental muscle" of struggling through bugs.

How to Stay Relevant

1. Focus on Architecture: AI can write a function. It cannot system design a scalable microservices backend (yet).
2. Verify Everything: Treat AI code like a junior's PR. Review it.
3. Learn Prompt Engineering: Writing clear requirements is now a coding skill.

AI is a 10x multiplier for a good dev, and a crutch for a bad one. Be the former.