AI will reshape software work, not eliminate it, Jagomägi says

Artificial intelligence will change the kind of work people do in the software industry rather than make the industry disappear, Reach-U chief executive and Regio co-founder Teet Jagomägi told ERR. As machines take over routine programming and testing, people can focus on creative tasks, understanding clients’ needs and solving more complex problems.

Jagomägi said Regio and Reach-U split about a decade ago. Reach-U is the more software-intensive business and operates globally, while Regio focuses mainly on the Baltic states and also produces paper maps and related software. Jagomägi no longer runs Regio and has not worked in cartography for some time.

He said printed maps still have a place alongside digital services. Personalised maps, for example, can be made in just one or two copies, including maps of a person’s family home or favourite mushroom-picking spots.

Jagomägi said users of free services such as Google and Apple’s maps provide data in return. While platforms offer settings to limit data use, he said large companies make it easier for people to share their information. User data can help train computer systems, including language models, but its use also raises concerns about privacy and whether data is being acquired fairly.

Reach-U is a software company that focuses on data and the knowledge it can provide, Jagomägi said. Software is necessary to turn that data into useful information, he added.