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⚡️ Software Engineering + AI ⚡️

Learning software engineering can be overwhelming for beginners. The complexity of coding, debugging, and mastering new languages often challenges even the most motivated learners.

AI is transforming the way newcomers approach software development. This guide will explore how AI-powered tools are simplifying the learning process, helping beginners grasp coding concepts faster, improve issue-solving skills, and build a solid foundation in programming.

In this AI Report:

• 💻 Case Study: Accenture Boosts Developer Success by 96%

• 🤖 How to Use AI to Succeed: AI-Powered Learning for Software Engineering

• 📚 Further Reading and Supplemental Resources

Read Time: 11 Minutes

CASE STUDY

⌨ Accenture Boosts Success with AI-Powered Copilot

Accenture, a global professional services giant, faced a common challenge in the tech world: too much work, not enough developers. With over 9,000 clients across 120 countries, their technical arrears were piling up faster than they could address them.

Enter GitHub Copilot, the AI-powered coding assistant that is revolutionizing the way developers write code.

Accenture initially piloted Copilot with just 20 developers, but the results were so impressive that they quickly scaled up to 12,000 seats. In partnership with Microsoft, Accenture conducted a randomized controlled test to measure Copilot's impact on developer productivity. The findings were astounding:

• 95% of developers reported enjoying coding more when using Copilot

• 67% of developers use Copilot every day

• 96% success rate with Copilot among users

One area where Copilot has been particularly useful is in writing tests. "It's allowed us to take the time to create all the unit tests, functional tests, and performance tests that we want in our pipelines without having to go back and effectively write double the code," said Schocke, an Accenture developer.

Copilot has also helped Accenture tackle the ever-growing challenge of technical arrears. By augmenting developers' skills and enabling them to produce features and functions more quickly with higher quality, Accenture can get to more of the work that previously fell by the wayside.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• AI Amplifies Developer Productivity: Copilot doesn't replace developers; it supercharges them. By automating routine tasks and providing intelligent suggestions, AI tools like Copilot allow developers to focus on higher-value work.

• Tackle Technical Arrears Efficiently: Use AI to understand and refactor legacy code. This approach can significantly reduce the time and risk associated with modernizing old systems.

• Improve Developer Satisfaction: Happy developers are productive developers. AI coding assistants can make the development process more enjoyable, leading to better retention and output.

• Start Small, Scale Big: Accenture's journey from a 20-developer pilot to many, many users, shows the importance of testing AI tools in your specific environment before large-scale adoption.

➡️ Read the full case study here.

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AI-Powered Learning for Software Engineering

As a new software engineer, you're always looking for ways to boost your productivity and make your workflow easy.

AI tools are revolutionizing the way we write code, offering everything from intelligent code completion to automated testing.

Let's explore how you can use AI to take your coding skills to the next level.

Learn Coding Faster with AI-powered platforms

If you're new to software development or aiming to learn a new language, AI-powered educational platforms can speed up your progress while you learn about the AI tools along the way.

💡 Codecademy delivers interactive coding lessons in multiple languages, with AI-powered features like:

• Personalized learning paths based on your goals and progress

• Real-time feedback and suggestions as you code

• Adaptive quizzes that test your knowledge and reinforce concepts

Codecademy is ideal for beginners looking to learn Python, Java, HTML, CSS, and more.

💡 For more comprehensive software engineering courses, check out Coursera.

Coursera partners with top universities to offer accredited certifications, with AI-powered features like:

• Adaptive quizzes that adjust difficulty based on your performance

• AI-powered progress tracking and course recommendations

• Personalized feedback on coding assignments from both AI and human experts

💡 Once you've got the basics down, LeetCode is a great platform for honing your coding skills as well.

With the boot camp breakdown covered, let's dive into the essential tools to add to your knowledge toolkit.

Write Code Quicker with AI Assistants

One of the most powerful applications of AI in software development is AI-assisted coding.

💡 GitHub Copilot is an AI-powered code completion tool that acts as your personal coding assistant. It suggests whole lines or blocks of code as you type, learning from your coding style and project context.

Here's how to start with GitHub Copilot:

1. Install the GitHub Copilot extension in your preferred IDE (supports VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, and Neovim).

2. Start coding as usual. Copilot will offer suggestions in real-time.

3. Press Tab to accept a suggestion or keep typing to ignore it.

Copilot is particularly useful for:

• Generating boilerplate code

• Suggesting function implementations

• Offering context-aware variable names

Copilot really shines when you're working with unfamiliar libraries or tackling complex chalenges. For example, let's say you're trying to implement a quick sort algorithm in Python:

def quicksort(arr):
    # Start typing here and let Copilot suggest the implementation

Copilot will suggest a complete implementation of the quicksort algorithm, saving you time and potential errors.

AI-Powered Project Management with ClickUp

Managing your coding projects can be just as challenging as writing the code itself.

💡 ClickUp is an AI-powered productivity platform that brings all your work into one place.

ClickUp's AI features can help you:

• Generate user stories and task descriptions

• Estimate task complexity and duration

• Automate routine project management tasks

Here's a cool trick with ClickUp's AI:

Generate a detailed user story for a feature that allows users to [briefly describe the feature].
Include acceptance criteria and potential edge cases.

This prompt can help you quickly create comprehensive user stories for your backlog.

By integrating these AI-powered tools into your workflow, you can write better code faster, manage your projects more effectively, and continuously improve your skills.

⚡️️ AI tools are transforming the way we code, making developers more productive and efficient than ever before.

🎧️ Podcasts & Talks

• “AI in Software Development” — Patrick Akil discusses AI and software development with Roy Derks, covering many topics.

• “Software Engineers and IT Leaders are Dead Wrong about AI” — Tim Kitchens debunks extreme views on AI in software development, exploring its realistic capabilities, and insights for professionals.

📖 Books

• “Mastering Python for Artificial Intelligence” — David Ward teaches Python for AI, offering practical examples, simple explanations, and essential concepts.

• “AI-Assisted Programming” — Tom Taulli shows you how to use AI tools for all coding stages, from requirements to documentation.

📲 Influencers

• John Maeda — Influential technologist and designer, leads AI initiatives at Microsoft, and champions computational design across industries.

• Priya Ranjani Mohan — KPMG manager who uses AI expertise to empower organizations with innovative technology solutions.

📃 Articles

• “How AI tools can positively impact your software engineering career” — Hack Reactor teaches responsible AI tool use in coding boot camps, preparing the reader for software engineering careers.

• “AI Tooling for Software Engineers in 2024” — Gergely Orosz and Elin Nilsson examine how software engineers use AI tools.

📹️ YouTube Tutorials

• “How I use AI as a software engineer” — Senior engineer Andrew Schmelyun shares how AI boosts productivity in coding, troubleshooting, prototyping, and learning.

• “I Used AI To Build This $900K/mo App In A Day” — Astro Joseph demonstrates how the AI tool Claude helped create a successful app earning $900k monthly.

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Until next time, Martin & Liam.

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