The Relevance Of Programming

In the current day and age, most government agencies and service organizations are asking their citizens and customers to get tasks done online. A lot of customer support is facilitated through chats and virtual agents (chatbots) in place of humans. Along with that, many small and upcoming entrepreneurs and agencies are using AI applications in advertising, copywriting, e-commerce, Artwork, etc. Now, with AI embedded in our day-to-day lives, understanding how to use these tools and technologies will require some background in programming.

You do not need to learn the syntax of multiple languages, but you should learn the key concepts used in coding. You can learn the fundamentals of coding which are used in every language. If you master new-age tools/technologies, you can take benefits of Application Programming Interface (API), Prompts, statistical models, etc, and build personalized applications for managing your portfolio, remotely managing your home appliances, and much more.

What is programming?

Programming, also known as coding, is a process in which we can give a computer certain instruction to carry out or perform an intended task. We give these instructions in programming languages like Python, Java, C, C++, CSS, HTML, etc.

Where is programming used?

The simple answer to that is that it’s applicable everywhere. Pick any field of your choice and you will find that programming is used to make the systems or models in that field more efficient. Whether it be finance, marine life, astronomy, pharmaceutics, or car manufacturing, programming can be used to speed up and automate processes.

Do you really need to learn how to code?

In today’s world, there are multiple ways you interface with applications, such as searching on Google, looking for movie tickets, setting up your payments on bank accounts, etc. We interact with these applications in a very logical way, which is pre-determined by how they are programmed. To understand how these applications work at a deeper level, you must understand coding. You don’t need to learn the syntax of multiple languages, but you may want to learn the key concepts used in coding. You can learn the common topics and reasoning used in coding, which are used in every language.

What are some things you should learn?

Traditional Languages

You can learn any language you want. I would recommend Java, C, C++,etc. Learn these key concepts:

  • Variables, Arrays – placeholder to capture data.
  • Scanners – User input
  • Conditions – check for certain conditions
  • Loops – iterate for a specified number of times or till a condition is met.
  • Methods and Functions- collections of code, that can be called under certain conditions.

Scripting Languages

These languages are easier to use as they have pre-packaged capabilities, which you can utilize. (A good analogy would be instead of multiplying numbers on your own, you could use calculator multiply function.) Python is a good example. I learned Python via YouTube, which was not very hard because I knew how to code in Java. I imported a Yahoo library of all the stocks and their prices. Using my Python knowledge, I was able to use various algorithms and models to analyze stocks based on their risk vs. return, log return, covariance, etc. Having knowledge of how-to program can help you make better investments and have a well-rounded portfolio.

Generative Tools

OpenAI codex is an artificial intelligence model made by OpenAI. With this application, you don’t need to know the Syntax or the logic required in programming. All you need to do is describe the program in a few statements, and the application will convert it into code and execute the program. This application is great for primitive programs, but it may not be able to execute very complex programs with niche models.

Prompts

I am sure by now you must have heard of ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer).

If you didn’t, click here.

We all know how powerful applications like ChatGPT are. In order to get what you want, you simply type in a prompt, and the model will use natural language processing and a machine learning algorithm to generate a response. To get a better response from these models, we can’t change the algorithm, but we can help it narrow down its search/answer by asking better and more specific prompts. Now the main job of the user is to type in the right prompt for the respective task or problem. AI prompts have gained more significance in recent times, and it is imperative for us to understand the specificity of prompts when interacting with AI models. Here is a link to some cool prompts you can try out.

Conclusion

I personally believe if you learn one language and understand the basic concepts given above, you will be able to learn anything new when the time comes. Even if you forget the syntax of the language you learned, you will still remember the logic behind these concepts. By knowing the concepts given above, you have the prerequisites for learning more complex things in programming. The world is changing with the advent of AI and its impact on different sectors and industries. It is better to learn the basics of coding now so that you have the choice to learn more later when the technological advancements are more profound. You don’t want to put yourself in a position where you don’t understand what’s happening around you. The world is going to change significantly with the recent breakthroughs in AI. You can learn any language you want through free YouTube videos.

Here are some links to get started:

Before you embark on this new journey, read these words of wisdom.

If, at first, you do not succeed, call it version 1.0.

― Khayri R.R. Woulfe


On to the next.

-Akash Gaonkar-

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