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

Over the past two weekends, I had the opportunity to dive deep into Google’s latest AI model, and let me tell you—it’s been an eye-opening experience that has left me both amazed and a little apprehensive.

To give you some context about my background, I am a civil engineer focused on design and management, with absolutely no experience in coding or computer science. Recently, I enrolled in a free student license program for Google’s new AI tool, curious to see if I could develop a small application without any programming knowledge.

My goal was simple: to create a tool that tracks the progress of my small-scale projects in a way that suited my needs. While there are existing software solutions that perform similar functions, I wanted something custom-tailored—with features like finance tracking and project health monitoring, alongside engaging charts.

After dedicating around eight hours last weekend, I engaged with the AI model as if I were collaborating with a team of developers. To my astonishment, the AI generated entire chunks of code for me. It guided me on which programs to install and specified where to insert the code.

The results were impressive! I was able to create a functional application without any prior coding knowledge. While the program isn’t perfect and will be a work in progress, it meets my requirements and performs tasks exactly as I envisioned.

However, this experience also left me feeling somewhat unsettled. The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence portrayal like this signal a future where such tools will continue to evolve and improve at an alarming pace.

As I reflect on this journey, I’m both excited and wary of the implications. Moving forward, I plan to experiment further with this innovative model to create additional small-scale applications to streamline my work processes.

If you’re contemplating whether to explore AI tools in your field, I highly encourage you to take the plunge. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you can accomplish!

Stay tuned for updates on my upcoming projects, and feel free to share your thoughts or experiences in the comments below!