Citizen Developers and AI: The Future of Work

The rise of "citizen developers" - non-technical employees building applications and automating processes - is enabling businesses to look within for technical talent instead of chasing scarce software engineers. Tools like low-code platforms and AI assistants are empowering citizen developers to go from "zero to one" in technical skills.

Artificial intelligence and automation will amplify human skills and productivity in the coming years. This means highly skilled engineers will focus on complex work while citizen developers take on more basic technical tasks. According to a recent survey, 98% of executives believe every job will require technology skills in the next decade. Employees recognize this and are actively learning software, AI, and data science.

Generative AI and standardized tools may allow all employees to become "low-level engineers" who can take on technical work. This could significantly impact the future of work as companies rely more on citizen developers. Automated platforms and AI can amplify human skills, making highly productive engineers less rare.

The future of work depends on providing a good developer experience for both technical and non-technical employees. As technology becomes central to business, technical tasks and talent will also become crucial. Low-code tools and AI may enable all employees to build applications and take on engineering work.

The rise of citizen developers and generative AI will transform how companies operate. Businesses should invest in upskilling employees and providing the tools/platforms to become technical contributors. The future of work is both human and automated - are you ready?