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13 March 2026, 09:00
2026-03-13
"AI is already writing code at the middle level," or How an IT professional can avoid losing their job due to AI. Advice from the CTO of Mate academy, Co-CEO of Railsware, and engineer of Ciklum
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way programmers work. According to GitHub, developers who use AI assistants like Copilot can write code up to 55% faster than without them. But with these new capabilities comes a new question: what will the role of the engineer be as machines learn to perform more and more technical tasks.
dev.ua asked the tech leaders of several Ukrainian IT companies:What would they do over the next 12 months if they were ordinary engineers without management positions today, so as not to fall out of the market? Here’s what they advise.
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way programmers work. According to GitHub, developers who use AI assistants like Copilot can write code up to 55% faster than without them. But with these new capabilities comes a new question: what will the role of the engineer be as machines learn to perform more and more technical tasks.
dev.ua asked the tech leaders of several Ukrainian IT companies:What would they do over the next 12 months if they were ordinary engineers without management positions today, so as not to fall out of the market? Here’s what they advise.
What’s happening with AI in programming
84% of developers use or plan to use AI tools
51% of professional developers use them daily
46% of developers don’t trust the accuracy of AI code and check it manually
Source: Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2025.
Learn to use AI to be better than others
Mate academy CTO Yuriy Golyuk says he would start with the most obvious one — the systematic use of AI tools in his work. «I wouldn’t just „play around“ with AI, but learn to use it in a way that would allow me to work faster and more efficiently than others. Or at least keep up with the market,» he says.
In his opinion, in the coming years, the ability to work with AI will become a basic requirement for engineers, not just an added advantage.
That is why Mate academy has implemented an internal AI Policy that regulates the use of artificial intelligence during training. The company has also created a separate module, GenAI Essentials, where students are explained how generative AI works, what its limitations and risks are, and how to apply it during training. (Source: comment by CTO Mate academy Yuriy Golyuk for dev.ua.)
However, according to Golyuk, the active use of AI also has a downside. If an engineer relies only on code generation tools, he risks losing fundamental technical skills.
Basic engineering
Therefore, he calls the second key investment of time basic engineering training — a deep understanding of programming languages, Computer Science, algorithms, design patterns, and system design. Own pet projects, where you can implement complex solutions yourself, also remain important.
«This is necessary to avoid becoming a „vibecoder“ who does not understand what is happening under the hood and cannot verify AI code. AI can significantly strengthen an engineer. But only if there is a solid foundation under it,» he explains.
Sergey Korolev, Co-CEO of Railsware, shares a similar opinion. According to him, technologies are now developing so quickly that even experienced specialists cannot accurately predict what the engineering profession will look like in a few years. «The latest AI models are already writing code at the level of a confident middle-aged person. This is a fact that you just have to accept,» he says.
That’s why, in his opinion, programmers shouldn’t try to compete with artificial intelligence in writing lines of code. Instead, it’s important to learn to manage the development process together with AI.
If he had a year to develop as an ordinary engineer, Korolev would devote this time to developing architectural thinking and product skills.
«The engineer of the future is a specialist who understands business logic, can design the architecture, set a task for AI, and then review and validate the generated solution,» he explains.
According to him, AI is gradually taking on more and more technical tasks, butcommon engineering sense and strategic thinking remain critically important.
Domain expertise
Bohdan Pogasiy, Head of Experience Engineering at Ciklum, adds another important area of development — domain expertise. According to him, simply written code is no longer enough for customers.
«Customers are looking for partners who deeply understand their business, industry and needs and are able to create comprehensive solutions that improve the user experience,» he says.
At the same time, the field of artificial intelligence is developing rapidly. Without knowledge in this field, an engineer can quickly fall behind the market.
To help professionals adapt to the new environment, Ciklum has created the AI Certifications and Learning Journey program. It combines basic knowledge about AI, practical workshops for different roles, and in-depth learning through pet projects and mentoring at the AI Academy.
Industry research estimates that using AI can indeed significantly speed up the work of engineers. For example, according to GitHub, developers with AI assistants can write code up to 55% faster than without them. At the same time, experts emphasize: speed does not mean complete autonomy — the generated code still needs verification and engineering review.
In the end, the advice from tech leaders converges on one thing: the role of the engineer is changing. Artificial intelligence is taking over some of the routine tasks, but the need for people who can see the product holistically, understand the business logic, and make engineering decisions is only growing.
And it is those developers who learn to use AI as a tool, rather than perceive it as a competitor, who will have the greatest advantage in the market.
«Artificial intelligence should belong to everyone.» UN Secretary-General proposes creating a $3 billion global AI fund to help developing countries develop it
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28-річний Юрій Швороб — колишній моряк. Утомившись від моря за сім років мореплавства, він вирішив змінити своє життя та світчнутися в IT. Зміна роду діяльності Юрія збіглася з повномасштабним вторгненням росії в Україну. У лютому хлопець став айтішником, отримавши спеціалізацію QA Engineer. Та він настільки сподобався викладачам Mate academy, яку закінчив, що його запросили працювати тут ментором. Своєю історією перевтілення з моряка в айтішника Швороб поділився з dev.ua.
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