Rethinking Software Engineering in the Foundation Model Era: From Task-Driven AI Copilots to Goal-Driven AI Pair Programmers

Ahmed E. Hassan, Gustavo A. Oliva, Dayi Lin, Boyuan Chen, Zhen Ming +1 more
4/16/2024
cs.SEcs.AI

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Abstract

The advent of Foundation Models (FMs) and AI-powered copilots has transformed the landscape of software development, offering unprecedented code completion capabilities and enhancing developer productivity. However, the current task-driven nature of these copilots falls short in addressing the broader goals and complexities inherent in software engineering (SE). In this paper, we propose a paradigm shift towards goal-driven AI-powered pair programmers that collaborate with human developers in a more holistic and context-aware manner. We envision AI pair programmers that are goal-driven, human partners, SE-aware, and self-learning. These AI partners engage in iterative, conversation-driven development processes, aligning closely with human goals and facilitating informed decision-making. We discuss the desired attributes of such AI pair programmers and outline key challenges that must be addressed to realize this vision. Ultimately, our work represents a shift from AI-augmented SE to AI-transformed SE by replacing code completion with a collaborative partnership between humans and AI that enhances both productivity and software quality.

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Cite this paper

@article{hassan2024rethinking,
  title  = {Rethinking Software Engineering in the Foundation Model Era: From Task-Driven AI Copilots to Goal-Driven AI Pair Programmers},
  author = {Ahmed E. Hassan and Gustavo A. Oliva and Dayi Lin and Boyuan Chen and Zhen Ming and Jiang},
  year   = {2024},
  eprint = {2404.10225},
  archivePrefix = {arXiv},
  url    = {http://arxiv.org/abs/2404.10225v1}
}

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