The Role of LLMs and Junior Software Developers - Perceptions, Opportunities and Impact

Large Language Models (LLMs) have emerged as one of the most relevant topics since the public release of ChatGPT. LLM-based tools impressed by its capacity for personalised content generation, use cases include content writing and summarization. In the IT sector, code generation and assistance, provided by LLM-based tools, can largely support software practitioners throughout the software development life cycle. However, there are also many rising concerns around how those technologies will impact the job market, resulting in potential job losses. Junior software developers are potentially the group more impacted, not knowing how to face this new AI-based era.

This project involves conducting interviews and surveys with software practitioners - focusing on junior software developers - to understand their perceptions and experiences involving  opportunities and challenges related to LLM-based tools adoption. Our results can potently help team leaders and managers by providing guidelines regarding how to support the new generation of software developers.

Project Lead

Samuel Ferino (PhD candidate)

Project Team

Prof Rashina Hoda, Prof John Grundy, A/Prof Christoph Treude