Generative AI (GenAI) assistance for programming is transforming software development. A transformation in software development requires a transformation of the way that concepts are taught. This course explores one way to introduce students to AI-assisted software development.

General information

• Instructor: Michael Ernst
• TA: Guorui Xiao
• Time and Location: More 230, Wednesday 3:30PM-5:00PM
• Office hours: by appointment (send mail with a few available times; see Michael Ernst's calendar)
• Canvas

We have written an explanation of AI terminology for you.

AI tools

Throughout this course, you will use AI programming tools. We encourage you to try more than one: understanding their strengths and weaknesses will enable to you use them more effectively. Pasting your code and questions into ChatGPT has some value, but using a tool designed for programming will far outperform a general tool.

Many AI programming are free for students, or they have a free tier.

• Cursor is the most popular AI programming tool.
• GitHub Copilot (not to be confused with Microsoft Copilot) is the second most popular AI programming tool.
• Claude Code by Anthropic (not to be confused with the Claude series of LLM chatbots) is perhaps the most highly regarded AI coding agent, at the moment that this sentence is written.
• Codex by OpenAI is also highly regarded.
• Gemini Code Assist is by Google.
• ... and many, many more

Perplexity is not a programming assistant. However, it is free for one year for CSE 490 A2 students.