COBOL dev won .Net hackathon with help from AI – and their CIO loves it
Australia Taxation Office sees footling with Copilot as a way to develop ‘muscles’ for real AI work
The recent win of a COBOL developer at a .Net hackathon, assisted by AI, is a significant indicator of the potential for AI to augment traditional programming skills. This outcome is particularly noteworthy given the context of the developer's background in COBOL, a language often associated with legacy systems, and their ability to adapt and succeed in a modern development environment. The involvement of AI in this achievement highlights the growing trend of leveraging AI tools, such as Copilot, to enhance developer productivity and facilitate learning across different programming languages and frameworks.
The Australia Taxation Office's perspective on this development is insightful, as they view the experimentation with Copilot as a means to develop the necessary "muscles" for more substantial AI-related work. This approach underscores the importance of gradual integration and familiarization with AI technologies within organizations. By starting with tools like Copilot, which assist in coding tasks, teams can build confidence and develop the skills required to tackle more complex AI projects. This strategic mindset is crucial for organizations aiming to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
As the industry continues to embrace AI-assisted development, it will be interesting to watch how organizations like the Australia Taxation Office progress from using AI for augmenting traditional programming to implementing more sophisticated AI solutions. Key areas to watch include the adoption of AI for not just coding assistance but also for higher-level tasks such as project planning, requirement gathering, and testing. Additionally, the impact of AI on the workforce, including the retraining and upskilling of developers, will be a critical aspect to monitor as AI becomes increasingly integral to software development processes.
Originally reported by theregister.com. NetNewsletter adds analysis for ai & agent economy readers.