GitHub Copilot: Introducing the artificial intelligence tool in an information systems course

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds the potential to revolutionize the way businesses operate. With the promise of generating creative solutions for complex problems, AI’s transformative impact on the business landscape is undeniable. Against this backdrop, business schools become crucial in preparing future professionals with relevant tools and techniques associated with AI. This paper investigates the integration of GitHub Copilot in conjunction with Python libraries such as Pandas and Plotly, within two sections of an introductory information systems course. We examine how business students perceive GitHub Copilot's ease of use, utility, and relevance, particularly in tasks involving code generation for data analysis and visualization. Our findings indicate a generally positive perception of GitHub Copilot among business students in terms of its ease of use, utility, and relevance. However, notable gender differences emerged; male students reported finding GitHub Copilot easier to use and their interactions with the tool clearer and more understandable compared to their female counterparts. The paper also provides an overview of the course assignment and presents the visualizations produced, offering valuable insights into the practical application of GitHub Copilot in an information systems course setting.