'AI-driven reskilling is a must'

Express Tribune

01-03-2025

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Reskilling can help technology professionals achieve success in the coming years, as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to reshape the software development industry by creating new business opportunities and reducing development timelines, according to AI experts and coaches who spoke to The Express Tribune.
DHA Suffa University Karachi's Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology, Prof Dr Zafar Nasir, stated, "AI's monumental growth has brought about a significant change in the overall landscape of software development and has profoundly impacted the software industry."
According to 'Grand View Research', the global AI market is projected to grow 37.3% from 2023 to 2030. AI in software development is expected to attract substantial investment in the near future, as it serves as a catalyst for staffing needs, enables the creation of highly personalised products, and helps businesses expand their customer base.
A recent survey found that 58% of NYSE-listed companies identified AI investment as a key driver for developing new revenue streams. As AI technologies continue to evolve, their business applications will become more apparent. Based on customer surveys, more than 70% of NYSE-listed companies have shown interest in investing in AI for customer service. This shift is also diminishing the traditional experience premium, as AI is narrowing the gap between industry experts and novices.
Calling for a paradigm shift in workforce reskilling, Dr Zafar Nasir highlighted that nearly 25% of jobs will undergo rapid transformations. The 14% productivity boost observed in customer service agents using Generative AI reflects the evolving workplace dynamics. As AI redefines job roles, organisations must adopt agile redeployment strategies to retain skilled talent while transitioning from traditional practices to more specialised, skill-based functions.
According to the Mercer Survey, 60% of employees prefer working for skill-based organisations. This trend bodes well for businesses looking to automate their processes with AI-driven applications.
Nasir further explained that AI is reshaping the software industry by automating multiple aspects of the development cycle, including code generation, testing, deployment, and security. This transformation allows engineers to focus on high-level problem-solving, such as architectural planning, system integration, decision-making, and other creative challenges that drive innovation and efficiency. AI-powered training systems can also provide personalised learning paths, ensuring professionals remain updated.
Additionally, AI fosters agile and cost-effective strategies that align with market dynamics, such as evolving consumer demands and manufacturing processes. AI-powered design software can generate multiple optimised designs for a single product.
"AI has the potential to alter the overall dynamics of software development and maximise throughput. This is particularly true in the context of AI coding tools, which provide a strategic advantage in task completion and productivity enhancement," he said.
Renowned SEO expert and IT coach Mehboob Shar, Founder and CEO of Icreativez Technologies, said, "AI is significantly accelerating software development processes. While a 12-fold increase in efficiency may seem ambitious, AI enables tasks that previously took hundreds of hours of programmer time to be completed in minutes, simply by generating the right prompts," Shar stated.
At Icreativez Technologies, AI has enabled developers and software engineers to complete tasks within a single day that previously required weeks. As a result, teams that once managed only one project at a time can now handle multiple projects concurrently.
Tech strategist and National Incubation Centre (NIC) Karachi Project Director Syed Azfar Husain said, AI is reshaping software development by making coding, testing, and deployment faster and more efficient. Tools like GitHub Copilot assist developers in writing code faster. AI has also contributed to major business successes—Netflix uses AI to optimise cloud costs, while startups like UiPath have grown into billion-dollar enterprises by automating business processes.
Beyond the corporate world, AI presents exciting opportunities for universities to introduce AI-driven courses and research programmes. By integrating AI into their operations, businesses can enhance productivity, reduce costs, and drive innovation, ensuring long-term growth in an increasingly technology-driven landscape.
Pakistan's software developers can leverage AI by incorporating machine learning and automation into their solutions, making products smarter and more competitive on a global scale. As Pakistan moves towards formulating its first-ever AI Policy in 2025, developers can align with government initiatives for funding, policy support, and regulatory clarity. AI frameworks such as TensorFlow and PyTorch facilitate advanced applications, while low-code and no-code AI tools accelerate development cycles.
Startups can build AI solutions for agriculture, healthcare, and fintech, addressing local challenges. Collaborating with universities and AI research hubs can also foster innovation.