As artificial intelligence tools become more common in the technology industry, several Baldwin Wallace University software engineering students say they are uncertain about how AI may affect internships or their careers. 

Many AI systems are starting to automate tasks once handled by programmers.  

“I’ve definitely heard both students and professors say AI can replace a lot of the simple, small coding tasks new programmers start with,” said Leandro Herrera, a junior majoring in software engineering.“It makes you think about what companies expect and whether they’ll even look at me.” 

Other students say the rapid evolution of AI tools has shifted how they are preparing for their careers. Vincent Cannata, a sophomore, said it is difficult to know which skills matter most.  

“We have to learn programming, but now we are also learning about AI and its tools and how it compares to our code,” he said. “It’s really confusing. Tech fields are already hard because they change so fast, and now AI is making it even worse.” 

Faculty say many of these worries come from not fully understanding what software engineers do. Dr. Rachelle Hippler, professor in the Software Engineering Department, said students often associate AI with code generation, but software engineering includes more than just writing code. 

“Software engineering is the discipline of applying engineering principles to design, develop, test, and maintain software systems and applications that meet specific user needs,” Hippler said. “Although AI can assist with some of these tasks, it cannot do all of them.” 

Hippler said that while AI has changed how programmers work, it has not reduced the importance of software engineering.  

“Software engineering as a profession is becoming more and more important,” she said. “While programmers primarily focus on building software, software engineers consider the entire design and the overall process of developing robust systems, so these other skills in the software engineering process become even more important.” 

According to Hippler, students’ questions about AI are also being asked across the tech industry, not just in the field of software engineering. However, she had a new perspective on how learning AI can be helpful in the job field. She said employers want graduates who understand how AI tools work, recognize their limitations, and verify their output.  

“Companies still need engineers who can check the requirements, test the software, and make sure the system is doing what it’s supposed to do.”  

For students concerned about how AI may affect their career prospects, Hippler offered reassurance: “It’s normal to feel uncertain about AI right now, but if you understand the software development process and stay flexible, you’ll be ready for the industry when you graduate.”