The Future of Work in Tech: Reflections on Using ChatGPT for a Job Application

So, as part of a job application, I was asked to create a simple Drupal module, which would have taken me around 15 to 20 minutes to code, test, debug, and publish. I opened my code editor and then a thought occurred to me: 'I wonder..

I fired up my web browser and headed to ChatGPT. I wrote a prompt: 'Create a Drupal 9 module to create a block that will display the title, author name, and taxonomy terms associated with the current node.' In less than 5 minutes, I received YAML and PHP code, along with comprehensive instructions on how to input, install, enable, and utilize the module. I spent a few minutes reviewing and testing the code before submitting it.

I’m sitting here reflecting on this.

On one hand, it resembles the work of senior web architects. They write specifications and delegate the work to junior developers (often located overseas). I just replaced the junior developer with a simple AI. A large portion of my future work will involve gathering requirements and constructing prompts to generate code, with only a need to write code in special cases.

Still, a part of me feels guilty, as if I cheated on my homework by using a calculator for math problems. Some may argue that I haven't demonstrated my ability to code (but I can provide a link to my Bitbucket account as proof of my coding skills).

Yet, I did prove I could get you the correct answer in the most efficient way possible.  After all my middle school teacher, Sister Mary Benedict. was correct. I will not carry a calculator with me for the rest of my life. Instead, I have a computing device that is more powerful than the one used to land a man on the moon. It will allow me to instantly connect with most of my contacts and access the sum of human knowledge.