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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JULY 26 - AUGUST 1, 2023 UCW 15 EDUCATION As computer science instructors, people often ask us if this or that GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is going to take away all the program- ing jobs. We know that some people are worried, but human programmers are not going away anytime soon. Human creativity is not so easily replaceable. GPT models are great at generating text, but they can't come close to the creativity and problem-solving abili- ties of humans. Computer program- ming requires imaginative thinking, finding solutions and translating ideas into code. ese are skills the models can't do alone — but they can make a programmer much more productive. Spreadsheets have auto-completion and auto-calculation routines built in, and they've replaced hand-calculating long list of numbers — but they can't replace the person who looks at the spreadsheet and decides what to do with those numbers. Weighing Costs and Benefits. Programming is more than just writ- ing lines of code. It involves making complex decisions. While GPT models can offer suggestions or assist with specific aspects, the buck stops with human programmers and their judg- ment. A model can suggest solutions, but it's up to you to select the best solution. Adaptability is a Human Trait. Programming languages change over time. Skilled programmers adapt to these changes, continuously learn- ing and updating their knowledge. e most important thing we try to teach our students is to "learn how to learn" because the hottest thing today won't be the hottest thing tomorrow. GPT models, on the other hand, rely on existing data and patterns. ey can't learn new skills or adapt to changing circumstances. at's up to us. Collaboration Between Humans and Models. Instead of seeing GPT models as adversaries, we tell our students to look at them as tools. ey can offer suggestions, provide code examples, and much more. By working along- side GPT models, programmers can leverage their capabilities while contributing their unique insights and expertise. In fact, we're using these kinds of models to help our novice program- mers, not just by letting them ask questions about "How do I write programs?" but also exploring the model to figure out what are the right questions to ask. We found that when students knew what kind of web page they wanted to make, for example, they would keep asking the model for help until they came up with a web page that matched what they had imagined. It truly was a group effort between pro- grammer and model. e field of computer programming GPT models have made remarkable strides in generating text and sup- porting specific tasks. However, they aren't positioned to replace human programmers. e field of computer programming thrives on human creativity, problem- solving abilities, critical thinking and adaptability to evolving technologies. By recognizing the collaborative po- tential of GPT models, programmers can harness their strengths and prove that humans have to be the ones doing the thinking. We invite you to learn more about computer programming at FTCC. We're registering students now for fall semester and would love to serve you. For more information visit https:// www.faytechcc.edu/academics/ computer-information-technology- programs/ Editor's note: David Teter and An- drew Norris are Information Technol- ogy faculty members at Fayetteville Technical Community College. What is the role of computer programming in the AI era? by DAVID TETER and ANDREW NORRIS Equal Credit Opportunity Lender. JOIN TODAY! Consistently rated one of the strongest and safest credit unions in the nation. Be a part of Bragg Mutual!