AI Overview

Start Here

AI tools help with drafting, refactoring, explaining code, and accelerating routine tasks. They are not a replacement for engineering judgment, security review, or domain knowledge.

What To Expect In The First 30 Minutes

Confirm you have access to GitHub Copilot Enterprise.
Install the editor plugin for your platform.
Run a simple prompt to verify suggestions appear.
Read the usage and token guidance to avoid accidental overuse.

What AI Is and Is Not

AI is a productivity assistant that can suggest code, summarize context, and propose solutions.
AI is not a source of truth. Always validate outputs with tests, code review, and domain checks.

Example (Good vs Risky)

Good: "Summarize this file and list the top 3 risks." Risky: "Rewrite this subsystem without review." (Always review large changes.)

GitHub Copilot Enterprise

What It Is

Copilot is an AI coding assistant that integrates with editors and chats to help you write and understand code.

Access Requirements

You must be provisioned for Copilot Enterprise by the org.
You must sign in with your GitHub account that has access.

Setup Steps (High-Level)

Confirm access with your team or admin.
Sign in to GitHub in your editor or plugin.
Verify Copilot is enabled in editor settings.
Run a quick prompt to validate it works.

What You Should See

A Copilot icon or status indicator in your editor.
Inline code suggestions as you type.
A chat panel that can answer questions.

Quick Access Checklist

GitHub account is linked to the org.
SSO or required auth flow is completed.
Copilot is enabled in the editor or plugin settings.

Terminology

Copilot: The AI assistant integrated into your editor.
Chat: The conversational interface in your editor.
Agents: Structured workflows that break work into steps.
Skills: Reusable knowledge or workflows the assistant can apply.
Tokens: The usage units that track AI consumption.

Example: Chat vs Agents

Chat: "What does this function do?"
Agent: "Plan and refactor this module, then list tests to add."

First Prompt (Safe)

Try a small, safe prompt to confirm everything is working:

Summarize what this file does in 3 bullet points.

Guardrails And Good Habits

Keep prompts scoped to a single task.
Ask for a plan before large changes.
Verify outputs with tests and review.
Avoid sharing secrets or sensitive data.

Example: Safe Prompt

"Refactor only the validation logic in this file. Keep behavior the same and list tests to update."

Getting Help

Ask your team lead or the AI docs owner.
Use the escalation guidance in Troubleshooting and FAQ.

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