Trustworthy and Synergistic Artificial Intelligence for Software Engineering: Vision and Roadmaps

TL;DR

This paper envisions a future where trustworthy and synergistic AI significantly advances software engineering, outlining strategic roadmaps to overcome current challenges and achieve transformative progress in the field.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive vision and strategic roadmaps for developing trustworthy and synergistic AI solutions in software engineering, aiming to enable Software Engineering 2.0.

Findings

Identification of core challenges in AI4SE

Proposed strategic roadmaps for trustworthiness and synergy

Vision for transformative impact on software engineering

Abstract

For decades, much software engineering research has been dedicated to devising automated solutions aimed at enhancing developer productivity and elevating software quality. The past two decades have witnessed an unparalleled surge in the development of intelligent solutions tailored for software engineering tasks. This momentum established the Artificial Intelligence for Software Engineering (AI4SE) area, which has swiftly become one of the most active and popular areas within the software engineering field. This Future of Software Engineering (FoSE) paper navigates through several focal points. It commences with a succinct introduction and history of AI4SE. Thereafter, it underscores the core challenges inherent to AI4SE, particularly highlighting the need to realize trustworthy and synergistic AI4SE. Progressing, the paper paints a vision for the potential leaps achievable if AI4SE's key challenges are surmounted, suggesting a transition towards Software Engineering 2.0. Two strategic roadmaps are then laid out: one centered on realizing trustworthy AI4SE, and the other on fostering synergistic AI4SE. While this paper may not serve as a conclusive guide, its intent is to catalyze further progress. The ultimate aspiration is to position AI4SE as a linchpin in redefining the horizons of software engineering, propelling us toward Software Engineering 2.0.