"Every Child needs to learn to code"- CEO of Github

s CEO of GitHub, Thomas Dohmke is at the helm of the world’s largest developer platform, guiding it through an era he calls the most transformative in his 30-year coding career.

In a recent interview, Dohmke shared his excitement about how AI is reshaping software development, making it more accessible and productive, while passionately advocating for coding to be taught to every child as a fundamental skill.

Leading a community of 150 million users, he envisions GitHub as a hub where AI empowers creativity and lifelong learning drives innovation.

AI: The Most Exciting Shift in Software Development

Dohmke’s journey as a developer began in the early 1990s in East Berlin, a time when coding meant poring over books and magazines without internet access. “I had to figure it all out by myself, going to computer clubs, hoping someone would be there,” he recalls.

Fast forward to 2025, and he marvels at the change: “I don’t think I’ve seen anything more exciting in my 30-plus-year career as a software developer.”

Today, AI tools like GitHub Copilot, launched in June 2020, allow anyone to write a prompt and generate a webpage, Python game, or small app. “AI makes software development so much more accessible for anyone who wants to learn coding,” Dohmke says.

For beginners, this lowers the entry barrier, turning curiosity into creation. For professionals, AI tackles the dual burden of innovation and maintenance.

“Most developers have way too much work,” he explains, juggling backlogs of new ideas—driven by customer feedback, market trends, or competitors—and technical debt, like legacy code needing refactoring.

GitHub Copilot boosts productivity by 10%, 20%, or even 50%, streamlining tasks that once took hours. “It’s completely changing how software developers work,” Dohmke notes.

As CEO, he’s steering GitHub to lead this AI revolution. “We want to be on the forefront of AI code generation, providing tools to make developers more productive and happier when writing code,” he says. This aligns with a universal developer dream: turning an idea into a working app or service quickly.

Yet, ideas are complex. “The challenge is not that developers don’t have enough ideas. You take a big idea, break it down, and realize it’s way more complex than you thought,” Dohmke reflects, recalling teenage projects that stalled under their own weight.

AI helps, enabling faster execution. He points to startups—sometimes just one or five developers—using AI to build million- or billion-dollar businesses. “AI helps us realize the dream of taking an idea and implementing it much faster,” he says.

However, AI isn’t a magic wand. Building a platform like GitHub requires thousands of decisions, from choosing languages and frameworks to architecting monoliths versus microservices.

“We’re nowhere close to a world where you can just say ‘build GitHub’ and an AI does it,” Dohmke cautions. “

We need engineers to do engineering stuff, to exercise their craft, apply systems thinking, and build really great applications.”

Coding as a Universal Skill

Dohmke’s vision extends beyond GitHub’s platform to a world where coding is taught to every child.

“I strongly believe that every kid, every child, should learn coding in school in the same way we teach them physics, geography, literacy, and math,” he says.

“It’s taken us too long to realize that coding is one such fundamental skill.”

Software is inescapable, shaping daily life from morning alarms to travel apps. “You can’t really live your life, travel, wake up in the morning without software anymore,” Dohmke observes.

“As humans, it’s crucial to not only be in read-only mode but also be able to create things ourselves or at least understand how creation is done.”

He’s not advocating for every teen to become a developer—“Not every kid who learns physics becomes a physicist,” he clarifies—but for coding to foster problem-solving and creativity, equipping kids for a tech-driven world.

AI plays a pivotal role here, especially for non-English speakers in places like Korea or Germany. “Most people don’t speak fluent English, the primary language of software development,” Dohmke notes.

“AI democratizes access to technology, letting you realize your dream.” Tools like Copilot answer questions and generate code in any language, making coding inclusive and empowering kids to build their ideas.

Lifelong Learning for Developers

For those already coding, Dohmke emphasizes continuous growth. “You’re never done with learning,” he says, reflecting on how blog posts, literature, and experimentation have kept him sharp since the 1990s.

“If I hadn’t constantly tried things myself, I’d be very behind,” he admits. In 2025, with vast information access, this is truer than ever.

“You’ve got to keep rehearsing, keep training to stay top of the field,” he urges, a principle guiding GitHub’s community and his own leadership.

Leading GitHub with a Developer’s Heart

Dohmke’s role as CEO is deeply rooted in his developer identity. Leading a remote team of over a thousand engineers, he draws on empathy to serve GitHub’s 150 million users.

His excitement about AI’s potential—“I don’t think I’ve seen anything more exciting”—fuels his mission to make GitHub a hub where tools like Copilot amplify creativity and efficiency.

By championing universal coding education, leveraging AI to democratize access, and fostering lifelong learning, Dohmke is ensuring GitHub not only keeps pace with the AI revolution but shapes it.