Exploring Google’s AI: A Civil Engineer’s Journey into Application Development

Over the past couple of weekends, I’ve embarked on an intriguing adventure with Google’s AI model. This experience has left me both amazed and somewhat apprehensive about the possibilities that lay ahead.

A Quick Introduction

To give you some context, I am a civil engineer with a focus on design and management. My background is not rooted in computer science or coding; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Despite this, I took the plunge and signed up for a free student license to experiment with this innovative AI model. My goal? To discover whether someone with no coding experience could leverage this technology to create a useful application.

The Challenge

I envisioned a simple tool to help me manage and track my small-scale projects. My requirements were modest—a program that could generate charts and monitor financial aspects while providing an overview of project health. Although we have software that meets these needs, I wanted to develop something tailored to my specific preferences.

The AI Experience

After dedicating nearly eight hours last weekend, I found myself engaging with the AI as if it were a team of developers. I provided it with my requirements, and to my astonishment, the model generated the entire code. It even guided me through the process of downloading relevant programs and explained where to insert the code.

I am genuinely impressed with the outcome. Despite my lack of programming knowledge, I successfully created a functioning application that serves its purpose well. While it’s not flawless, it caters to my needs effectively.

A Dual-Edged Sword

However, this experience also brought with it a sense of unease. The pace of advancement in AI is staggering, and the thought of these models becoming even more sophisticated is both exciting and alarming. As they evolve, the potential implications for various industries and professions, including my own, are vast and often unpredictable.

Looking Forward

As I continue to navigate this new realm of technology, I plan to create additional small-scale applications in the coming week. I am eager to see how far I can push the boundaries of what I can develop with the help of AI.

If you’re contemplating a similar journey, remember that innovation can emerge from unexpected places—even without a technical background. There has never been a better time to experiment and explore the capabilities of AI!

Feel free to share your thoughts or experiences with AI development in the comments. If any moderators feel I’ve missed the mark on the topic, please let me know.