AI Will Revolutionise Software Security, Prevent Code Vulnerabilities: GitHub CSO Mike Hanley

How do you see India's potential for GitHub's business?

GitHub serves as the primary hub for developers worldwide, with over 100 million developers actively utilising the platform. A significant portion of the Fortune 100, more than 90 per cent, leverage GitHub for their development needs. With over 4.5 billion contributions, there are over 400 million repositories on GitHub, each representing a unique project. India boasts the second largest developer community on GitHub with 13.2 million developers, highlighting the country's significant presence in the software development landscape. About 3.2 million developers in India joined GitHub in 2023, this trend indicates a promising future for both open source and commercial developers in the nation, presenting ample opportunities to contribute to the software ecosystem. Overall, GitHub remains an exciting and dynamic space for all stakeholders involved.

In what ways is artificial intelligence (AI) revolutionising software development, and how do you foresee that GitHub’s AI implementation will contribute to the technological advancement of India?

The influence of AI on software development is substantial. India, with its extensive developer population on GitHub, plays a pivotal role in propelling this change. AI has a variety of impacts, one of which is improving developers' efficiency. GitHub Copilot, with more than 1.3 million paid subscribers and over 50,000 organisations utilising its business version, enables developers to code 55 per cent faster. Last year, Copilot generated 35 per cent of new code, a figure projected to rise to 60 per cent. Particularly in popular languages like Java, developers who utilise AI tools such as GitHub Copilot notice a significant boost in productivity. This increase in output is accompanied by a rise in developers' satisfaction and confidence. Essentially, AI will have a transformative influence, particularly within the Indian developer community. Additionally, AI is anticipated to revolutionise software security and prevent vulnerabilities in code, making it a critical aspect of future advancements.

What novel advancements can we anticipate for the Indian market as GitHub strives to augment its service through the utilisation of AI?

In general, we perceive the developer community as a global entity. The collaboration between corporations and open-source communities transcends geographical boundaries, making it a fascinating and distinctive aspect of software development. Regardless of where in the world, one can actively contribute to a team using platforms like GitHub. As a result, the features available on GitHub Copilot are not tailored to specific countries or regions. While localisation for different languages is taken into consideration, the core features powered by AI remain the same whether you are in India or the United States. This recognition acknowledges the fact that developers in India often collaborate with teammates from the United States, Western Europe and Australia. It emphasises the growing understanding that software development involves global teams, not only within corporations but also within open-source communities.

AI presents both advantages and disadvantages. How is GitHub managing this dual nature?

We firmly believe in being transparent and open to address potential misuse cases proactively, while also investing in understanding and defending against such instances. Simultaneously, we aim to explore innovative opportunities for legitimate use cases that can bring joy to developers. AI is not fundamentally distinct from other technologies, but our priority lies in prioritising safety and transparency in responsible AI, acknowledging that people understandably have inquiries about its future implications. Transparency is crucial in addressing these concerns.

Given the elevated business expectations of the companies, can we anticipate an increase in recruitment for the upcoming fiscal year?

We do not disclose our headcount figures publicly. However, one can find a variety of open positions and global opportunities on our GitHub career site. Many of these roles are in security team and programmes, covering various security topics. Additionally, we have numerous open positions within our engineering organisation. We are continuously creating new roles and welcoming new team members to GitHub Engineering. 

Our team is global, and we are looking for individuals from around the world who have the passion and expertise to tackle challenging security issues and AI-related challenges, or contribute to scaling the core platform of GitHub.com.

How do you view the cybersecurity expertise of professionals hailing from India?

As previously mentioned, it is important to acknowledge that India has the second largest developer community on GitHub. When it comes to cybersecurity, the nation has consistently been at the forefront, whether it is through public policy initiatives or the abundance of skilled individuals. The emergence of numerous successful security companies from India further emphasizes the significant opportunities that Indian developers have in the cybersecurity sector. Moreover, India is home to exceptional training programmes and institutions that specialise in security. The active involvement of Indian teams in major capture-the-flag competitions further showcases the country's expertise in this area. 

What kind of investment is GitHub seeking to make in India?

India presents a unique opportunity for business expansion, particularly for any company or organisation. Additionally, one of our key events, GitHub Galaxy, is scheduled to take place in Bangalore in June. This event will provide us with the opportunity to directly engage with numerous customers and technology leaders in the region to discuss the future of our AI-powered platform. Given the rapid growth rate, we anticipate that by around 2027, India will surpass all other countries to become the largest developer community on GitHub.