Role of GenAI-Powered Code Assistants in Accelerating Developer Onboarding & Training in IT Firms

Abstract

This study has discussed how Generative AI (GenAI)-based code assistants, including GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and Amazon Code Whisperer, can improve the process of onboarding developers and their training in information technology companies. The study was designed to understand the relationship between the application of AI tools, learning performance, and usefulness, and the overall onboarding in software developers. Quantitative, cross-sectional design has been used and the information gathered using an online structured questionnaire, 150 developers in medium and large organizations in the field of IT were sampled. The data were evaluated with the tools of the descriptive statistics, correlation, reliability testing and multiple regression analysis using the IBM SPSS Statistics. The findings revealed that the AI usage and onboarding performance were positively related, and the relationship was significant (b = 0.412, p < .001), meaning that the high frequency of the GenAI tools use increased the speed of the onboarding process and code output. The positive influence of learning effectiveness (b = 0.298, p <.001) and perceived usefulness (b = 0.204, p =.007) also brought a significant positive effect on the performance of developers. It was also confirmed that GenAI-powered assistants significantly contribute to the enhancement of training efficiency and the shortening of learning time as a result of the ability to describe onboarding outcomes explained by the regression model by 54%. The results of the study were that AI-assisted code assistants are an effective cognitive or learning assistant that positively contribute to the accommodation, confidence, and acquisition of skills in developers during the onboarding process. These results give practical implications to IT companies that want to adopt AI-related learning in their developer training courses and reveal how GenAI technologies can influence the future of software engineering training and the workplace.