Will Generative AI Replace or Empower HTML & CSS Developers?
Table of contents
- What is Generative AI and How does it Relate to HTML & CSS Development?
- Can Generative AI replace HTML and CSS Developers? The Impact
- Can AI Replace Programmers? How Generative AI Models are Leveraged in HTML & CSS Development
- What are the Benefits of Generative AI Coding Tools for HTML & CSS Development?
- Will AI Replace the Programmers? The Risks of Generative AI Coding Tools for HTML & CSS Development
- Should HTML & CSS Developers Embrace Generative AI Coding Tools as a Support Tool?
Generative AI coding tools are a double-edged sword for HTML and CSS developers.
Learning how to leverage AI within coding practices and modernize development techniques can help set HTML and CSS developers apart. At the same time, generative AI HTML and CSS may also feel like a looming threat to the future of many developers.
Generative AI has undoubtedly catalyzed significant breakthroughs in the technology sector over recent years.
Today, the rise of generative AI coding tools poses some of the most widespread and meaningful use cases for businesses across all industries, including software development teams of all kinds.
Though once on the fringe of the business landscape, generative AI is now a very real and very powerful tool for companies— making it all the more important to consider how this technology stands to impact the roles of HTML and CSS developers.
At Exadel, we provide a broad range of industries with the AI and data management services needed to drive innovation and optimize the HTML and CSS development processes.
What is Generative AI and How does it Relate to HTML & CSS Development?
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) are two scripting languages commonly used for web design and development.HTML is the language used to give a website a code-based technical structure, while CSS is mainly responsible for web page design and styling.
Since the dawn of public Internet access, HTML and CSS developers have played crucial roles in business — from building branded websites to optimizing web-based user experiences for customers.
Meanwhile, generative AI is a specific type of artificial intelligence designed to generate content in a wide range of mediums. Though text-based content is its most well-known application (ever heard of ChatGPT?), generative AI can also create visual content, audio, synthetic data, and even simulations.
The text and synthetic data generation capabilities are of particular interest regarding HTML and CSS.
According to a 2023 KPMG report, generative AI for developers is poised to bring “startling power” to software development and may be equally if not more impactful than advancements like Agile methodology.
As KPMG further states:
However, though generative AI coding tools certainly pose great advantages for developmental processes, the need for human intervention is far from obsolete. This is especially true when it comes to ensuring the safety and security of AI-operated development models, with a particular emphasis on training generative AI algorithms to uphold specific ethical standards and security protocols.
As a result, developers who embrace generative AI coding tools stand to gain a greater competitive edge for both themselves and the companies they work for.
Can Generative AI replace HTML and CSS Developers? The Impact
The rise of generative AI HTML and CSS coding tools is certain to reshape the role of developers.
Generative AI models are empowering development processes to become more sophisticated, automated, and efficient. While some HTML and CSS developers are fearful that this new technology may replace them entirely, there is significant research to show that most developers are finding means to incorporate generative AI tools within their coding and development workflows to improve their own efficiency.
Developer enthusiasm toward generative AI coding tools is growing around the world, with the U.S. standing out for its high percentage of developers currently utilizing the technology.
In June 2023, GitHub published a survey of 500 U.S.-based developers on the use and impacts of AI (including generative AI) within their roles. According to the survey, AI coding tools are already being leveraged by developers primarily for automation. The survey highlights several key findings that showcase a promising future between developers and generative AI coding tools:
- 92% of developers have used AI coding tools either at work or during personal time
- 81% of developers expect AI coding tools to facilitate greater collaboration within their teams
- 70% of developers believe AI coding tools provide an advantage in their work, with the top two benefits being upskilling and increased productivity
- 57% of developers believe that generative AI is useful for upskilling
Can AI Replace Programmers? How Generative AI Models are Leveraged in HTML & CSS Development
The capabilities of generative AI coding tools are widely leveraged in HTML and CSS environments.
This is likely thanks to HTML and CSS being relatively easy to master compared to other more complex coding languages, such as C++ or Java. Additionally, since almost all websites are built and designed using HTML and CSS, generative AI models have nearly limitless publically available examples and pools of information to learn from.
In terms of how generative AI specifically facilitates HTML and CSS development, we can identify three primary capabilities that generative AI models possess:
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Code Generation:
Code generation refers to the creation of lines of code based on highly specific parameters. Depending on the complexity of the model, generative AI tools for developers can create everything from code snippets to entire programs. One key advantage of code generation is the ability to automate repetitive tasks, with generative AI models acting as a core support tool for achieving greater efficiency and productivity in development environments.
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Code Optimization:
Along with the ability to fully generate new code based on a set of given parameters, generative AI coding tools can also be hugely beneficial for optimizing a developer’s current programming workflows. When trained with sufficient data, generative AI models can power auto-completion tools that offer coding suggestions to developers in real-time as they work on a specific project. This is also majorly helpful for refactoring processes, as generative AI tools for developers can automate changes and improvements to internal code incrementally and continuously.
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Error Reduction:
Looking beyond the generation and optimization capabilities of generative AI tools for coding, the technology is additionally indispensable for streamlining a developer’s testing and debugging processes. When trained to analyze code and provide feedback, generative AI models can identify bugs and propose potential solutions at a much faster rate than traditional testing and debugging procedures. This ultimately increases the productivity of human developers, as they can work at a faster pace and make significantly fewer errors that can hinder release timelines for projects.
For HTML specifically, the key capabilities of generative AI tools include their ability to comprehend the structure of HTML documents, generate HTML tags and attributes, and create valid HTML pages. As for CSS, generative AI tools can produce the necessary visual and text components that dictate the appearance of HTML elements, making it simpler to create and launch a finished web page with greatly enhanced speed.
What are the Benefits of Generative AI Coding Tools for HTML & CSS Development?
Integrating generative AI into HTML and CSS development facilitates many business advantages. We have already discussed some of the value generative AI coding tools can provide to developers — such as reduced errors and increased speed — but these are far from the only benefits the technology has to offer.
Here are five key benefits of generative AI for HTML and CSS development:
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Heightened Productivity:
Generative AI coding tools have powerful automation capabilities that enable HTML and CSS developers to reduce the manual labor involved in generating and optimizing code. This is essential for large web development projects that require duplications of code across multiple pages of a website. With generative AI as a support tool, developers can automate the generation of repetitive code and focus instead on high-level design and functionality. In turn, development cycles are much faster without overburdening development teams.
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Accelerated Innovation:
As a generative AI model gathers more intel and evolves over time, it can create more novel and creative solutions for HTML and CSS developers. What’s truly impressive about generative AI is the technology’s ability to learn on both broad and micro levels, enabling it to hone in on the front-end branding and aesthetics of a company as well as the back-end functionality and process optimization. Plus, the real-time nature of AI-powered code generation allows developers to experiment with greater freedom and flexibility.
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Minimized Risk:
Earlier, we mentioned the capability of generative AI coding tools to reduce errors and improve accuracy within HTML and CSS development processes. In practice, this can include all types of potential errors and risks, such as coding errors, UX/UI design flaws, and compatibility issues. If trained with the right information, generative AI can even cross-check a developer’s code against the compliance requirements found within specific industries that companies must adhere to. This establishes a proactive approach to risk management in development environments, which can — in turn — further boost efficiency and productivity.
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Enhanced Code Quality:
In addition to checking a developer’s coding work for errors and bugs, generative AI tools for developers can also suggest potential changes and improvements to the code. Developers can take this a step further by teaching a generative AI model all about one specific company’s best practices for development and overarching coding standards. For HTML and CSS, these code generation and optimization capabilities can make a piece of code easier to maintain, understand, and modify, regardless of the size or scope of the project.
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Interactive Prototyping:
Generative AI can transform design concepts into interactive HTML and CSS prototypes, allowing developers and stakeholders to visualize and test user interfaces before committing to full-scale development. These interactive prototypes provide a tangible representation of the final product, enabling effective collaboration, user feedback, and design refinements early in the project lifecycle.
Will AI Replace the Programmers? The Risks of Generative AI Coding Tools for HTML & CSS Development
Although there is a tremendous amount of value and benefits to gain from generative AI, the technology is still relatively new and unregulated at this time. For businesses and development teams, it is crucial to assess the risks and create a game plan for mitigating those risks.
Before implementing a generative AI solution for HTML and CSS development, business leaders should evaluate three key risks and consider how to overcome them:
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Oversimplification:
Generative AI is only as powerful as the data it learns from. Without an adequate amount or quality of data to train generative AI models, developers face the risk of the technology oversimplifying the HTML and CSS development process. This can lead to a lack of understanding on the developer’s behalf, limiting their ability to troubleshoot, customize, or fix the code as needed. Overcoming this challenge requires an AI model to be trained using large and diverse datasets to ensure the right level of customization and specificity within the model. Additionally, businesses must ensure that any AI-powered development processes are overseen by both the HTML/CSS teams, as well as tech experts specialized in the management and maintenance of generative AI models and applications.
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Security Vulnerabilities:
Unless a business has a sizeable IT department with multiple teams specializing in artificial intelligence, generative AI tools and technologies must generally be obtained through third parties. Building, maintaining, and monitoring generative AI models is no small task and — if not managed properly — can result in a host of security vulnerabilities that expose a business to cybersecurity threats. Dealing with these potential vulnerabilities requires a robust approach to testing and reviewing generative AI models and the code they produce, especially in the early stages when a model is still learning and adapting.
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Learned Biases:
One of the biggest risks associated with AI as a whole is the development of unethical biases. Generative AI, though powerful, is limited by the amount and quality of data it has access to for training. If that data is low-quality and contains highly biased information, then the generative AI model is more likely to make mistakes and potentially unethical decisions due to a lack of accurate knowledge. For example, if a business operates in the U.S. but its generative AI model is trained primarily using data from Middle Eastern business websites, then the business may need to fully rebuild or re-integrate its generative AI tools to avoid teaching the model unwanted biases using data from outside the business’s home region. Solving this challenge necessitates greater emphasis placed on human reviews and supervision.
Should HTML & CSS Developers Embrace Generative AI Coding Tools as a Support Tool?
Though fairly new to the development scene, generative AI tools for developers are already demonstrating impressive capabilities. For HTML and CSS developers, generative AI offers both technical and creative advantages that help streamline development workflows, improve coding quality, and significantly boost efficiency.
The ultimate outcome and impact of generative AI coding tools in the HTML and CSS space are yet to be seen, but it is highly unlikely that this technology will replace human developers entirely, if at all.
Instead, generative AI provides the technical prowess necessary to achieve a proactive and optimized approach to HTML and CSS development — and in an increasingly digital business environment, generative AI may just be the key support tool developers need to stay ahead.
To answer the question at hand, yes, developers could start embracing generative AI in the months and years to come, but they certainly won’t be replaced by AI.
From generative AI adoptions that revolutionize your productivity to AI-powered applications that embed AI into your core products and processes, Exadel has the expertise and the toolkit of solutions to enable your business and development teams to succeed in this new and exciting era of AI.
Get in touch with Exadel today to learn more and get started.
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