81% of Indian developers report improved code quality with AI

GitHub Report

♦ Only 40% of companies actively encourage AI tool usage

♦ Organizations should operationalize AI throughout the development lifecycle

♦ Indian developers are optimistic about AI's impact on code security and employability

Bengaluru: Nearly eight in 10 (81 per cent) developers in India have experienced a perceived increase in code quality due to AI coding tools, a report showed on Wednesday.

About 66 per cent (over six in 10) believe these tools will enhance their ability to meet customer requirements, according to GitHub, the world’s leading AI-powered developer platform. However, only 40 per cent say their companies are actively encouraging the use of AI coding tools, highlighting an opportunity for organisations to better support their developers' interests.

"Organisations need to operationalise AI throughout the software development lifecycle to boost collaboration, creativity, and modernisation,” said Kyle Daigle, Chief Operating Officer at GitHub. “This is an exciting time for engineering leaders – in India and globally – to embrace these advancements and propel their teams forward,” Daigle added.

According to the report, there is universal anticipation among survey respondents in India that AI coding tools will improve code security. Notably, the highest expectation of a “significant improvement” across all respondents globally was in India, with 41 per cent expressing this view. About 99 per cent of respondents in India said their organisations have experimented with using AI coding tools to generate test cases.

Github has millions of developers in India, with 3.5 million joining the platform from the country in 2023 alone. Developers in India are the second biggest contributor to generative AI projects on GitHub globally. With this sustained and significant growth, GitHub forecasts that India will surpass the US in total developer population by 2027.

India’s developer community has experienced consistent YoY growth, including a 36 per cent increase in 2023. “Nearly all respondents in India believe this skill makes them more attractive candidates, underlining the growing importance of AI across various fields. Notably, 56 per cent in India believe this expertise significantly boosts their employability,” the report mentioned.