AI-powered assistants are becoming more common than ever. With the likes of ChatGPT, Google Bard and now Microsoft 365 Copilot it’s about time we got a chatbot in the software development space. This is where GitHub comes in. So, what is GitHub Copilot X?

This new ChatGPT-like assistant brings you an AI programmer deeply embedded in the IDE. Copilot will be able to recognize your code and its error messages, helping you by suggesting new code and whole functions.

According to the creators, GitHub Copilot X will integrate into Visual Studio and VS code, allowing you to use the chatbot directly in your editor. You can use the Copilot to analyse and explain parts of your code, generate tests and help you find fixes to bugs.

Similar to ChatGPT, the new assistant is built upon OpenAI’s GPT-4 model and will be able to communicate with you via text and video.

The main difference is that Copilot X is specifically optimised for software developer tasks. Whereas ChatGPT offers services in a range of areas.

At the moment, the Copilot is in its beta phase. And the only way to access the tool is by signing up for the waiting list on the GitHub website.

Unfortunately, access to preview GitHub Copilot X is only open to those with a Copilot subscription. All is not lost, though! There is a free trial option that you can take advantage of if you are keen to get a sneak peek.

What is GitHub Copilot X used for?

Let’s take a closer look at what GitHub Copilot X can do.

Voice-to-code: Copilot can understand your voice. Simply, talk to GitHub Copilot to start coding hands-free.

Pull Requests: Pull requests are easier than ever with Copilot. Keep track of your updates with cleverly generated descriptions and code walkthroughs.

Answers about documentation: If you have a large document to read Copilot can help speed up the process. Ask the chatbot to generate summaries and find the answers to your questions.

Copilot for the command line interface (CLI): Assistance directly in your terminal, helping you with shell commands and flags.

Copilot chat: Ask Copilot anything from generating code, fixing bugs, devising tests and more.

Final Thoughts

GitHub is offering an extremely exciting upgrade to its Copilot feature. Whether you are a student or a seasoned software developer, it is pretty clear that Copilot X will undoubtedly revolutionize the way you code.

If you are looking to try Copilot, we definitely recommend heading over to GitHub’s webpage to find out more. We even have an article GitHub Copilot X: How to sign up? which will guide you through the sign-up process.

About the Author

Funmi Somoye

Funmi joined PC Guide in November 2022, and was a driving force for the site's ChatGPT coverage. She has a wide knowledge of AI apps, gaming and consumer technology.