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Research Paper | Community Science | Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026 | Pages: 1574 - 1577 | India
AI and the Future of Software Engineering: Expertise, Employment, and Policy
Abstract: Artificial intelligence has moved rapidly from an experimental add-on to a routine part of software development, with AI coding assistants now writing functions, generating tests, and, in agentic form, completing multi-step engineering tasks with limited human oversight. This raises a familiar question: does automating part of a skilled trade erode the expertise around it, and who bears the cost? Drawing on randomized trials, labour-market studies, industry surveys, and code-security audits, this report examines how AI adoption is reshaping human expertise, employment, and code quality in software engineering. Entry-level employment is contracting even as overall technical demand rises, and AI-written code merged without scrutiny carries more security flaws and technical debt. Software engineering is being reorganized rather than elimin0ated, with value shifting toward architecture, verification, and accountability. The report closes with recommendations for employers, institutions, and regulators.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence, software engineering, human expertise, labour market, employment, AI coding assistants, skill formation, code security, technical debt, policy
How to Cite?: Shruti, Jayanthi M, "AI and the Future of Software Engineering: Expertise, Employment, and Policy", Volume 15 Issue 8, August 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1574-1577, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26818210502, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26818210502