ChatGPT – along with other AI technology tools – have the potential to generate code and potentially help both non-technical business users and software developers create code faster and with greater efficiency. However, the technology is not a 100 percent replacement to low-code development platforms as there are a range of features that ChatGPT struggles to provide, including application design, code integration, security protection and license management.
ChatGPT and other AI systems are able to write code only in snippets and users would have to decide how to combine these snippets and create a functional application. While this may work for professional developers, most non-technical users lack the necessary expertise to properly link each code snippet together. But what low-code tools do is provide a visual interface to be able to identify each functional elements and group them into a coherent and well-functioning application architecture, allowing users to have a better idea of how to build and design their application.
For instance, low-code tools are able to piece together application components so that customers can choose the specific functions they need and have them automatically integrated – something that ChatGPT can’t do. Furthermore, low-code platforms are able to build security features into the application runtimes to detect any potential risks or exploit attempts, should it occur. ChatGPT on the other hand cannot ensure code generated remains secure due to its lack of awareness of the broader codebase.
There are also legal concerns to consider when using ChatGPT. As AI tools are trained using open source code, developers of that source code did not grant permission for the tool to use their code. This has led to potential lawsuits be raised against companies like GitHub Copilot and others who use ChatGPT.
In conclusion, ChatGPT can help generate code for a certain part of an application but cannot be seen as a full-fledged replacement for low-code platforms. Low-code tools are better because they provide the big-picture view, help connect functional elements and secure the application to prevent any malicious attempts. While ChatGPT is great for creating code quickly, it’s important to consider the risks and implications when using such a tool.
