A new generative artificial intelligence startup called Cognition AI Inc. aims to transform coding with the launch of a new tool that can autonomously write code for entire engineering operations, including its own AI models.
The tool is called Devin, and it takes the premise of GitHub Inc. and Microsoft Corp.'s Copilot developer tool further by allowing it to do the entire job on its own, rather than just assisting human programmers.
In the video (below) attached to the blog post announcing Devin, Cognition CEO Scott Wu shows how users can see the model in action. Step through the command line, code editor, and workflows to complete comprehensive coding projects and data exploration tasks as assigned.
As soon as Devin receives the request, he begins searching the Internet for educational content that can teach him how to complete the assigned task. It also allows you to debug any issues that arise during the process, and it also allows users (basically just directors and editors) to intervene if necessary.
The launch of Devin marks a major shift in the nascent AI-powered coding industry, offering a unique automated system capable of running complete projects, rather than just co-piloting human programmers with snippets and suggestions. It promises to provide engineers with new workers. At the moment, Devin is only available in private previews, and only a select few journalists, such as Bloomberg's Ashley Vance, have access to the tool.
Wu told Bloomberg that teaching AI to be a programmer is a “very deep algorithmic problem” in which the system makes complex choices and looks several steps into the future to figure out what to do next. He said he needed to decide whether to move. “It's like this game we've all been playing in our heads for years, and now we have a chance to code it into an AI system,” Wu explained.
According to Wu, Devin has access to standard developer tools such as a code editor, browser, and shell. You can run them within a sandbox environment to plan and execute highly complex engineering tasks that require thousands of decisions.
According to the startup, human users simply outline their project with natural language prompts through a chatbot-style interface, and Devin does everything asked. First, create a detailed step-by-step plan to complete the assigned task and start just like a human programmer would do, albeit much faster, using developer tools. You can write your own code, fix problems, test it, and report progress in real time so you always know your progress.
If a human user determines something is wrong, they can add another prompt to the chatbox to ask the AI to resolve the issue. This way, the engineering team can delegate specific projects to her Devin and focus their energies on more creative tasks for which human intelligence is better suited.
Vance explained that he asked Devin to create a basic Pong-style game and build a website from scratch, and those tasks were completed in less than 20 minutes. It can also handle more complex tasks, but they may take longer to complete.
It's somewhat ironic that Wu, a software engineer himself, is launching a generative AI tool that ultimately aims to replace human software engineers. Cyrus Alberti, a computer scientist who had early access to Devin, also told Bloomberg: “It's more like an actual worker doing their job than an assistant helping you code.”
As the AI era progresses, the mantra “Learn to code,” once proposed as a replacement for humans displaced by AI, is looking more outdated than ever. Devin's creators believe that it will eventually be able to replace human programmers and perform many low-level coding tasks more quickly.
Cognition also has funding in hand now, with the startup recently completing a $21 million Series A led by Founders Fund. We are currently looking to expand capacity and early access to a more select group of users, and are encouraging businesses interested in considering the feature to apply via email.
Image: kenshinstock/Freepik
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