Forget AI, children still need to learn how to code, Github CEO says - here's how you can get them to start

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke advocates for coding education in schools
Artificial intelligence is just amplifying human work, not replacing it
Using AI is just another pillar of continuing to learn

Microsoft-owned GitHub, which has introduced a series of powerful generative AI tools to its popular developer platform in recent years, still believes that there’s a place for traditional code.

Speaking on a recent podcast interview with EO (via Business Insider), CEO Thomas Dohmke explained his belief that schools should teach coding just as they do other core subjects, like physics, geography and maths.

Advocating for an early start, Dohmke believes children should learn coding from a young age, expressing his belief that skilled developers are still in high demand despite the emergence of artificial intelligence.

GitHub advocates for coding education despite AI

AI tools like GitHub’s own Copilot and other popular chatbots, like ChatGPT and Gemini, have democratized coding by making software development more accessible to everyone, ultimately lowering the barrier to entry.

For experienced developers, small teams and even solo programmers can now unlock more scale, with AI freeing up time that was otherwise spent on repetitive tasks that can now be automated.

With the emergence of the tech, questions have been raised about the future of jobs in coding, with leaner teams potentially reducing job openings, but Dohmke doesn’t seem to be concerned about this and instead still urges people to learn to code.

“The anxiety is understandable, but time and again, developers have discovered how to channel the new capabilities into entire domains of innovation that didn’t exist before,” he said, indicating that use cases are expanding and the need for skilled programmers isn’t taming.

“You got to keep training. You got to keep learning. You’re never done with learning,” he added. Reflecting on his three decades in the industry, Dohmke says that if he’d stopped reading blogs and other literature, he’d have been left behind. With this in mind, AI is very much just an evolution of the role rather than the end of it.

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