Study showed that the use of artificial intelligence in software development can significantly increase productivity and innovation in the world.

Software developers face an ever-increasing demand for quality and sophisticated applications that can address a variety of tasks and needs. However, creating such software requires a lot of time, effort and knowledge.

To make this process easier and faster, GitHub, the world’s largest repository for software developers, introduced a new tool called GitHub Copilot less than a year ago. It is an extension for Visual Studio and other developer tools that runs on OpenAI Codex is one of the most advanced generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

GitHub Copilot helps you build code with scripting, natural language suggestions, and code completion. Newer versions of the tool also integrate the GPT-4 model, which provides improved chat and voice support, as well as detailed code explanations and bug fixes. With the latest improvements, developers can code without having to touch the keyboard.

GitHub CEO Thomas Domcke said the “symbiotic” relationship between Copilot and GitHub “has the potential to shape the design of the world’s software for generations to come.”

In his study, which he conducted with Harvard Business School professor Marco Jansity and Keystone.AI CEO Greg Richards, Domcke analyzed the activity of nearly a million GitHub developers who use Copilot. He found that they accepted about 30 percent of Copilot’s offerings and reported improvements in their productivity.

In the tests, developers were asked to write an HTTP server in Javascript. Half of them were allowed to use Copilot and the other half were not. Those who used Copilot completed their projects 55 percent faster than those in the control group, Domke said.

Authors research also assessed the potential economic impact of using Copilot and other generative AI tools. They concluded that such technologies could lead to $1.5 trillion in global gross domestic product growth by 2030, accelerating innovation and development across industries and regions.

They also noted that the use of Copilot and generative AI will not lead to a reduction in the number of developers, but, on the contrary, will create more opportunities for training, employment and other opportunities for people who want to do programming. They called for a global effort to expand these opportunities and prepare society for a more digital and innovative future.