High ThreatCode Generation
GitHub Copilot
by GitHub/Microsoft
AI pair programmer that suggests code completions, functions, and entire solutions in real-time.
Launched: June 2021$10/month individual, $19/month business1.8M+ subscribers
Job Threat Level
75%
Based on capabilities, adoption rate, and tasks automated
What GitHub Copilot Can Do
Real-time code suggestions
Function completion from comments
Unit test generation
Code explanation and documentation
Multi-language support (40+ languages)
IDE integration (VS Code, JetBrains, etc.)
Jobs Threatened by GitHub Copilot
HIGH IMPACT
Junior Developer
At-risk tasks: Boilerplate code, Simple functions, Bug fixes
MEDIUM IMPACT
QA Engineer
At-risk tasks: Test writing, Test case generation
Code Reviewer
At-risk tasks: Basic code review, Style enforcement
What GitHub Copilot Can't Do (Yet)
Suggests code that may have security issues
Can produce incorrect or inefficient solutions
Doesn't understand business context
May reproduce copyrighted code
Requires developer oversight
Where Humans Still Win
These are the skills and capabilities that keep you valuable despite GitHub Copilot:
Architectural decision making
System design and scalability planning
Security review and threat modeling
Code maintainability judgment
Team collaboration and mentorship
How to Stay Ahead of GitHub Copilot
1
Learn to use it: Become the person who leverages GitHub Copilot rather than competes with it. Master prompt engineering and AI-assisted workflows.
2
Develop human-only skills: Focus on the advantages listed above—emotional intelligence, creative vision, ethical judgment, and relationship building.
3
Move up the value chain: Transition from execution to strategy. AI handles tasks; humans provide vision and judgment.