  This study examines the impact of GitHub Copilot on a large sample of Copilot
users (n=934,533). The analysis shows that users on average accept nearly 30%
of the suggested code, leading to increased productivity. Furthermore, our
research demonstrates that the acceptance rate rises over time and is
particularly high among less experienced developers, providing them with
substantial benefits. Additionally, our estimations indicate that the adoption
of generative AI productivity tools could potentially contribute to a $1.5
trillion increase in global GDP by 2030. Moreover, our investigation sheds
light on the diverse contributors in the generative AI landscape, including
major technology companies, startups, academia, and individual developers. The
findings suggest that the driving force behind generative AI software
innovation lies within the open-source ecosystem, particularly in the United
States. Remarkably, a majority of repositories on GitHub are led by individual
developers. As more developers embrace these tools and acquire proficiency in
the art of prompting with generative AI, it becomes evident that this novel
approach to software development has forged a unique inextricable link between
humans and artificial intelligence. This symbiotic relationship has the
potential to shape the construction of the world's software for future
generations.
