OpenAI is extending the availability of its programming assistant by integrating it directly into key developer tools.
The new updates allow AI features to be used in code editors, the terminal and on the GitHub platform, in a direct attempt to embed OpenAI technology into developers’ daily workflows and intensify competition in the AI tool market.
Until now, access to advanced coding features mainly required interaction with the ChatGPT interface. Now, with the new extension, the assistant will work natively in popular development environments such as Visual Studio Code and editors based on it.
A key change is the simplification of authentication – users of paid plans such as ChatGPT Plus and Pro can log in with their account, eliminating the need to manage API keys.
OpenAI’s strategy clearly aims to reduce friction and build a cohesive ecosystem. A new feature is the ability to seamlessly switch work between local and cloud environments without losing the context of the task.
Developers can initiate processes on their own computer and then have them execute asynchronously on the OpenAI infrastructure. The command line interface (CLI) has also been updated, with improvements to its handling.
A particularly significant move is the entry into a field hitherto dominated by GitHub Copilot, namely the automation of processes on the GitHub platform itself.
The OpenAI tool is expected to offer an automatic code review function in pull requests, providing suggestions and feedback when called in a comment.
This move signals OpenAI’s desire to establish itself not only as a provider of fundamental language models, but also as a developer of integrated, ready-to-use products for professionals.
Extending the functionality beyond the chat window and embedding it in specialised tools is a logical evolution that will intensify competition with the likes of Microsoft (owner of GitHub), Amazon (CodeWhisperer) and other AI coding assistant providers.
