GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke has made it mandatory for all employees—regardless of role or department—to use AI tools as part of their daily work routine.
Speaking on the Decoder podcast, Thomas emphasized that AI usage is now embedded in GitHub’s culture and is considered a core competency across the organization.
“There is no world where I would allow for somebody to say, ‘Well, sorry, I don’t want to use GitHub,’” Thomas said, referring to GitHub Copilot and other AI tools.
“It’s part of our company culture that everybody at GitHub uses GitHub”.
Beyond Engineering: AI for All Functions at GitHub
Developers initially designed GitHub Copilot to assist users by generating code suggestions.
However, Thomas clarified that the expectation to use AI tools extends far beyond engineering.
GitHub expects employees in HR, legal, sales, and communications to integrate AI into their workflows.
The goal, according to Thomas, is not to measure productivity by counting lines of code written with Copilot, but to foster a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation.
“It’s about how you think, how you approach problems, and how you leverage technology to improve outcomes,” he said.
Culture of Accountability and Choice
Thomas’s stance is firm: employees who are unwilling to embrace AI tools may not find GitHub the right fit.
“If the employee doesn’t want that, then there’s tens of thousands of other tech companies out there where they can have that,” he said.
This approach signals a shift in how tech companies are defining workplace expectations—not just in terms of output, but in terms of tool adoption and mindset.
The company is positioning itself as an AI-first workplace, where fluency in AI tools is as essential as communication or collaboration.
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