Quick Read
- GitHub Copilot is now a direct contributor in GitHub’s development workflow, handling issues and opening pull requests.
- Copilot automates routine coding tasks, refactors codebases, and helps resolve bugs and security issues.
- Inetum and GitHub’s partnership in Belgium is accelerating secure, AI-native software development across organizations.
- 92% of developers use AI coding assistants, with productivity gains up to 55% for routine tasks (GitHub Octoverse 2024).
- Digital trust and security are now central to client decisions in IT, as cost advantages diminish.
GitHub Copilot: From Autocomplete to Active AI Contributor
In the bustling heart of GitHub’s engineering team, one silent member is rewriting the rules of modern software development. Not a human, but an AI: GitHub Copilot. Originally launched as a clever autocomplete tool, Copilot in 2025 has evolved into a full-fledged contributor—opening pull requests, fixing bugs, and tackling some of the most time-consuming tasks that once drained developer energy.
Dogfooding is more than a buzzword at GitHub; it’s a way of life. The platform itself is built using the very tools it provides to millions of developers. Now, Copilot is not just an assistant sitting quietly in code editors. It’s embedded in the core development lifecycle, assigned issues by human engineers, and actively participating in the workflow.
According to GitHub Blog, Copilot’s daily workload ranges from minor UI tweaks—like aligning icons or updating placeholder texts—to major documentation cleanups. For instance, it was assigned to fix 161 typos across 100 files, a tedious job that no engineer would voluntarily spend an afternoon on. This ability to accelerate small, cumulative tasks has quietly transformed productivity.
AI-Powered Maintenance and Security: A New Standard
Maintenance is the unsung hero of healthy codebases. Copilot shines here, handling tasks like removing deprecated feature flags, refactoring classes across massive repositories, and optimizing performance bottlenecks. These aren’t glamorous jobs, but their impact is profound. Take, for example, a pull request by Copilot that resolved a severe performance issue in Codespaces, reducing git push times from 15 minutes to mere seconds.
Security, too, has become deeply integrated into the workflow. Copilot is assigned to add security gates that prevent internal integrations from performing sensitive actions, and it manages database schema migrations with a precision that’s difficult to match manually. Inetum’s recent partnership with GitHub in Belgium, as reported by Inetum, demonstrates how Copilot and GitHub’s suite of AI-powered tools are being leveraged to embed security and resilience into the very fabric of software delivery. Through features like GitHub Advanced Security, vulnerabilities and data leaks are detected early, and code quality is monitored continuously.
This approach is not just technical; it addresses the existential challenge of digital trust. As Financial Express notes, recent high-profile cyberattacks and breaches have made trust a currency more valuable than cost. Clients now demand proof of security, prevention, and resilience, shifting the focus from mere compliance to proactive, verifiable protection. For Indian IT giants and global service providers alike, the ability to demonstrate a zero-breach track record is rapidly becoming a baseline requirement.
Collaboration Reimagined: Humans and AI, Side by Side
Copilot’s role in the GitHub workflow is not to replace humans but to empower them. The typical pattern is clear: engineers assign an issue, Copilot opens a pull request with a first-pass solution, and human reviewers take the reins from there. The real value isn’t in blindly merging AI-generated code, but in starting from a concrete implementation—giving developers a foundation to critique, refine, and adapt.
This division of labor—AI handling the tedious 80% and humans focusing on the critical 20%—has shifted the engineering mindset. Developers are freed from the repetitive grind and can dedicate their expertise to architecture, security, and user experience. Copilot’s contributions range from new API endpoints and internal tools to comprehensive audits and systems-level analysis. In one instance, Copilot analyzed all Codespaces feature flags, providing a detailed report that saved developers days of manual effort.
Globally, partnerships like the one between Inetum and GitHub are accelerating this shift. Inetum, now GitHub’s exclusive implementation partner in Belgium, guides organizations through migration from legacy systems, provides training and governance support, and helps companies fully leverage the AI-native development environment. As Connor Douglass from GitHub emphasizes, this integrated approach combines license management, consulting, and productivity gains—enabling organizations to modernize securely and efficiently.
AI’s Ripple Effect: Productivity, Global Competition, and Digital Trust
The rise of AI coding assistants is not confined to GitHub. Tools like ChatGPT and Claude Code are also reshaping the landscape. According to GitHub’s 2024 State of the Octoverse report, 92% of developers now use AI coding assistants, with productivity gains reaching up to 55% for routine tasks. The implications are far-reaching. For decades, countries like India dominated IT services through a mix of cost efficiency and language skills. But AI tools don’t tire, don’t require training, and now communicate flawlessly across languages.
This technological leveling is erasing traditional competitive advantages. Clients no longer compare programmers by geography or hourly rates, but by what humans can offer beyond efficiency: creativity, oversight, and above all, trust. As Govind Rammurthy of eScan puts it, the survival of IT service providers in the AI era will hinge on their ability to move from cost efficiency to trust leadership. Security protocols, verification, and system design must become uncompromising priorities.
Meanwhile, the open nature of platforms like GitHub has made it possible to track real-time development activity across hundreds of thousands of projects. Reports from CryptoDep highlight how liquid staking projects such as EigenCloud, Lido, and Babylon are leading in development activity, tracked via GitHub repositories. Active development signals confidence, innovation, and the potential for long-term growth. For decentralized finance and blockchain, this transparency is a critical asset—enabling investors and users to gauge the health and momentum of platforms.
The Road Ahead: From Automation to Human-AI Partnership
In 2025, GitHub Copilot is not just a tool, but a collaborator—handling the repetitive, high-volume tasks that once slowed teams down. With AI embedded throughout the software development lifecycle, organizations are delivering faster results, with fewer errors, and in a more secure environment. The integration of Copilot into the workflow, combined with advanced security monitoring and global collaboration, marks a new era for developers.
Yet, the story is not just about automation. It’s about redefining the role of humans in engineering—focusing on creativity, oversight, and building digital trust. As security incidents and global competition raise the stakes, organizations must embrace transparency, resilience, and uncompromising quality. The partnership between Inetum and GitHub, the widespread adoption of Copilot, and the ongoing evolution of developer platforms signal that the future of software is not AI versus humans, but AI and humans working side by side.
Assessment: GitHub Copilot’s transformation from a simple autocomplete to an active development partner is reshaping not only how code is written but also how trust and security are established in the digital age. As routine tasks are automated and security becomes central, the focus shifts to human creativity and leadership. The winners in this new landscape will be those who harness AI’s power while doubling down on trust and resilience, setting a new standard for global software development.