Smarter Week

AI and automation by role

How Software engineers can use AI and automation

Below are 14 common tasks for Software engineers, most common first. For each one you get the best fix (AI, automation, a feature in software you already have, or a simpler process), the steps to set it up and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

Also called: Software Developer, Developer, Programmer, Full-stack Engineer, Backend Engineer, Frontend Engineer, SWE

Task 1 · typically 180 min, every day

Write new features and the boilerplate around them

AIBest fix

Hand well-scoped tasks to a coding agent and review its pull request

Coding agents like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor's agent and GitHub Copilot's coding agent can read the repo, make multi-file changes and run the tests. They do best on clear, bounded tasks you can review quickly.

Typically saves about 30% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Check which coding agent your company approves and that it has access to the repo.
  2. 2Add a short instructions file to the repo (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or .cursor/rules) with how to build, test and the conventions to follow.
  3. 3Give it a ticket-sized task with acceptance criteria, using the prompt below.
  4. 4Let it run the tests; read the diff as carefully as a colleague's PR.
  5. 5Start with tests, refactors, small features and config changes before larger work.
Prompt to copy
Task: [WHAT TO BUILD OR CHANGE]. Context: [RELEVANT FILES OR MODULES]. Acceptance criteria: [LIST]. Constraints: follow the existing patterns in [EXAMPLE FILE], do not add new dependencies, do not change public APIs unless needed. First read the relevant code and give me a short plan. After I approve, make the change, add or update tests, run the test suite and linter, and summarize what you changed and anything you were unsure about.

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Turn on AI completions and inline chat in your editor

Inline suggestions and in-editor chat (Copilot, Cursor Tab, Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf), JetBrains AI) remove a lot of typing for boilerplate, tests and small edits.

Typically saves about 15% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Check which assistant your company licenses: GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf) or JetBrains AI Assistant.
  2. 2Install the extension or editor and sign in with your work account.
  3. 3Use inline chat for "add error handling here" or "convert this to async" style edits.
  4. 4Accept suggestions only when you would have written the same thing.

Tools: GitHub Copilot · Cursor · Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf) · JetBrains AI Assistant

How to automate this task

Task 2 · typically 45 min, every day

Write and review pull requests

AutomationBest fix

Add an AI reviewer to every pull request

AI review bots post a summary and line comments within minutes of a PR opening, so human reviewers spend their time on design and logic instead of typos and obvious bugs.

Typically saves about 25% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Pick one: GitHub Copilot code review, CodeRabbit, Cursor Bugbot, Graphite Diamond, or the Claude Code GitHub Action.
  2. 2Install it on one repo first and set it to comment, not block.
  3. 3Add a short review guide (your conventions, what to ignore) to its config.
  4. 4After two weeks, check how many comments were useful and tune or roll out wider.

Tools: GitHub Copilot code review · CodeRabbit · Cursor Bugbot · Graphite · Claude Code GitHub Action

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Keep pull requests small and set a review turnaround

Big PRs sit in review for days and get skimmed. Small PRs with an agreed turnaround time get reviewed faster and better.

Typically saves about 20% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Agree a soft limit, for example 400 changed lines, and use stacked PRs for bigger work (Graphite or GitHub stacked PRs).
  2. 2Write the "why" and how to test it in the description (AI can draft it from the diff).
  3. 3Agree a review turnaround, for example same day, and set review reminders in Slack or Teams.
  4. 4Use CODEOWNERS so the right reviewer is assigned automatically.

Tools: GitHub or GitLab · Graphite · CODEOWNERS · Slack or Teams PR reminders

How to automate this task

Task 3 · typically 60 min, every day

Debug failing builds and production bugs

AIBest fix

Debug with AI by giving it the error, the code and what you tried

AI is fast at reading stack traces and logs and suggesting likely causes. A coding agent can also reproduce the failure and try fixes in the repo.

Typically saves about 30% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Collect the error message, stack trace, relevant logs and the code involved.
  2. 2Paste them into your coding assistant, or run a coding agent in the repo so it can read the code itself.
  3. 3Ask for ranked hypotheses before asking for a fix.
  4. 4Confirm the root cause with a failing test before you accept the fix.
Prompt to copy
I am debugging [SHORT DESCRIPTION]. Expected: [WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN]. Actual: [WHAT HAPPENS]. Here is the error and stack trace, the relevant code, and what I have already tried. Give me the three most likely causes ranked by probability, how to confirm each one, and then the smallest fix for the most likely cause. Do not rewrite unrelated code.

Error and logs:
[PASTE]

Code:
[PASTE]

Already tried:
[PASTE]

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf) · ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

One more way to fix it
AI

Hand well-scoped tasks to a coding agent and review its pull request

Coding agents like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor's agent and GitHub Copilot's coding agent can read the repo, make multi-file changes and run the tests. They do best on clear, bounded tasks you can review quickly.

Typically saves about 30% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Check which coding agent your company approves and that it has access to the repo.
  2. 2Add a short instructions file to the repo (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or .cursor/rules) with how to build, test and the conventions to follow.
  3. 3Give it a ticket-sized task with acceptance criteria, using the prompt below.
  4. 4Let it run the tests; read the diff as carefully as a colleague's PR.
  5. 5Start with tests, refactors, small features and config changes before larger work.
Prompt to copy
Task: [WHAT TO BUILD OR CHANGE]. Context: [RELEVANT FILES OR MODULES]. Acceptance criteria: [LIST]. Constraints: follow the existing patterns in [EXAMPLE FILE], do not add new dependencies, do not change public APIs unless needed. First read the relevant code and give me a short plan. After I approve, make the change, add or update tests, run the test suite and linter, and summarize what you changed and anything you were unsure about.

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

How to automate this task

Task 4 · typically 45 min, every day

Answer Slack pings and drop-in questions while trying to focus

Process fixBest fix

Rotate one person on interrupt duty so everyone else can focus

One person each week takes questions, small requests and support pings. Everyone else gets long stretches of uninterrupted time.

Typically saves about 40% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Create a team help channel and a weekly "on duty" rotation (Slack or Teams user group, or PagerDuty or Opsgenie schedule).
  2. 2Point all questions and small requests at the channel, not individuals.
  3. 3The person on duty answers, fixes small things or files tickets.
  4. 4Everyone else mutes the channel and blocks focus time.
  5. 5Turn repeat questions into FAQ entries during the duty week.

Tools: Slack or Teams user groups · PagerDuty or Opsgenie schedules

One more way to fix it
AI

Write the answers down once and point people (or a bot) at them

Collect the questions you keep answering into one page; a workspace AI or a ChatGPT Project, Claude Project or Gem can answer from it.

Typically saves about 50% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1For one week, paste every repeat question into a doc.
  2. 2Write the answer under each (or have AI draft it from your replies).
  3. 3Share the page, pin it in chat, and add it to a Claude Project, ChatGPT Project, Gemini Gem or Copilot agent.
  4. 4Reply to repeat questions with the link.
Prompt to copy
Below are questions coworkers keep asking me and my past answers. Turn them into a clear FAQ page grouped by topic. Keep each answer under 80 words and keep any links I gave.

[PASTE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS]

Tools: Claude Projects · ChatGPT Projects · Gemini Gems · Copilot agents · Notion or Confluence

How to automate this task

Task 5 · typically 30 min, every day

Figure out how unfamiliar code works

AIBest fix

Ask a coding agent to explain the code before you read it all

Agents can search the repo, trace a request end to end and explain it with file references, which cuts the time to get oriented in unfamiliar code.

Typically saves about 45% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Open the repo in Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot Chat, Codex or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf).
  2. 2Ask the question with the prompt below.
  3. 3Open the files it cites and confirm the key points.
  4. 4Save useful explanations into the README or docs so the next person does not have to ask.
Prompt to copy
Explain how [FEATURE OR FLOW] works in this repo. Trace it from [ENTRY POINT, e.g. the API route or UI action] to [END, e.g. the database write]. List the key files and functions with paths, the data that flows between them, and anything surprising or risky. Do not change any files.

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf) · DeepWiki or Sourcegraph

One more way to fix it
AI

Generate docs and READMEs from the code with AI, then edit

A coding agent can read the module and write a first draft of the README, architecture notes or API docs, so you edit for accuracy instead of writing from nothing.

Typically saves about 45% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Run a coding agent in the repo and point it at the module.
  2. 2Use the prompt below and name the audience.
  3. 3Correct anything wrong and add the "why" that the code cannot show.
  4. 4Ask the agent to update the doc in the same PR whenever the code changes.
Prompt to copy
Read [MODULE OR FOLDER] and write a [README / design doc / runbook] for [AUDIENCE, e.g. a new engineer on the team]. Include: what it does, how to run and test it, the main components and how they talk to each other, config and environment variables, and known gotchas. Only describe what is in the code; mark anything you are inferring with [CHECK].

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

How to automate this task

Task 6 · typically 45 min, a few times a week

Write unit and integration tests

AIBest fix

Have AI write the tests, then you check what they actually assert

Coding agents write good first-pass unit and integration tests in your existing style. Your job shifts to checking the cases and assertions are meaningful.

Typically saves about 45% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Point the agent at the file or function and an existing test file to copy the style from.
  2. 2Use the prompt below; ask for edge cases explicitly.
  3. 3Run the tests and make sure at least one fails if you break the code on purpose.
  4. 4Delete tests that only check mocks or repeat the implementation.
Prompt to copy
Write tests for [FILE OR FUNCTION] using [TEST FRAMEWORK], following the style of [EXISTING TEST FILE]. Cover the main behavior, edge cases ([EMPTY INPUT, LIMITS, ERRORS]), and any bug fixed recently in [AREA]. Prefer real objects over mocks where it is cheap. Run the tests, fix failures in the tests (not in the code), and list any behavior that looks like a bug instead of changing it.

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

One more way to fix it
AI

Hand well-scoped tasks to a coding agent and review its pull request

Coding agents like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor's agent and GitHub Copilot's coding agent can read the repo, make multi-file changes and run the tests. They do best on clear, bounded tasks you can review quickly.

Typically saves about 30% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Check which coding agent your company approves and that it has access to the repo.
  2. 2Add a short instructions file to the repo (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or .cursor/rules) with how to build, test and the conventions to follow.
  3. 3Give it a ticket-sized task with acceptance criteria, using the prompt below.
  4. 4Let it run the tests; read the diff as carefully as a colleague's PR.
  5. 5Start with tests, refactors, small features and config changes before larger work.
Prompt to copy
Task: [WHAT TO BUILD OR CHANGE]. Context: [RELEVANT FILES OR MODULES]. Acceptance criteria: [LIST]. Constraints: follow the existing patterns in [EXAMPLE FILE], do not add new dependencies, do not change public APIs unless needed. First read the relevant code and give me a short plan. After I approve, make the change, add or update tests, run the test suite and linter, and summarize what you changed and anything you were unsure about.

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

How to automate this task

Task 7 · typically 60 min, a few times a week

Sit in standups, sprint planning and retros

Process fixBest fix

Cut sprint ceremonies to what the team actually uses

Many teams run every ceremony at full length out of habit. Async standups, shorter planning and less frequent retros keep the value with less meeting time.

Typically saves about 30% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Move the daily standup to an async check-in in chat on most days.
  2. 2Have the lead and PM pre-groom the backlog so planning is about choices, not reading tickets.
  3. 3Run retros every other sprint, or only when something went wrong.
  4. 4Time-box every ceremony and end early when done.

Tools: Slack or Teams · Geekbot or a Slack workflow · Jira or Linear

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Replace the status meeting with a written update

Everyone posts three lines in a shared thread before a set time; you only meet when something is blocked.

Typically saves about 60% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Agree a format: done, next, blocked.
  2. 2Create a channel or a thread that repeats every week.
  3. 3Ask everyone to post by a set time; the lead reads them and replies to the blockers.
  4. 4Keep a shorter meeting only for the blockers, or cancel it outright.

Tools: Slack, Teams or email

How to automate this task

Task 8 · typically 30 min, every day

Wait on slow CI builds and re-run flaky tests

Process fixBest fix

Speed up CI and quarantine flaky tests

Most slow pipelines have a few big causes: no caching, tests not split, and flaky tests that force reruns. Fixing these once saves every engineer time every day.

Typically saves about 35% of the time8 h to set up
  1. 1Look at your CI timing report and find the three slowest steps.
  2. 2Turn on dependency and build caching, and run only the tests affected by the change where your tooling supports it.
  3. 3Split the test suite across parallel runners.
  4. 4Use flaky-test detection (Trunk, Buildkite Test Engine, Datadog CI Visibility or your CI's built-in) to quarantine flaky tests and open a ticket for each.
  5. 5Set a target build time and review it monthly.

Tools: GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI or Buildkite · Trunk Flaky Tests · Datadog CI Visibility · Nx, Turborepo or Bazel caching

How to automate this task

Task 9 · typically 15 min, every day

Update tickets and write PR descriptions

AutomationBest fix

Let branches and PRs move tickets, and let AI write the PR description

Jira, Linear and GitHub can move tickets automatically when you open, merge or deploy a PR, and Copilot or other AI tools can draft the PR description from the diff.

Typically saves about 60% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Connect GitHub or GitLab to Jira or Linear and include the ticket key in the branch name.
  2. 2Turn on automations: PR opened moves to "In review", merged moves to "Done" or "Ready to deploy".
  3. 3Use the PR summary button in GitHub Copilot, or ask your coding agent to write the description.
  4. 4Stop updating ticket status by hand.

Tools: Jira automation · Linear GitHub integration · GitHub Copilot PR summaries

How to automate this task

Task 10 · typically 20 min, every day

Chase tickets that bounce between teams

Process fixBest fix

Publish an ownership map and one intake form so tickets land right first time

Tickets bounce because nobody is sure who owns what. A clear ownership map and a required-fields intake form stop most reassignments.

Typically saves about 35% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1List the systems and services and name an owning team for each.
  2. 2Publish it where people file tickets, and mirror it in CODEOWNERS and your ticket tool's components.
  3. 3Use one intake form with required fields (system, impact, steps to reproduce).
  4. 4Set a rule: the receiving team reassigns once at most, with a comment, or keeps it.
  5. 5Review the most-bounced tickets each month and fix the map.

Tools: Jira, Linear or ServiceNow · Backstage or a service catalog · Confluence or Notion

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Turn on the AI agent in your service desk to answer and route tickets

ServiceNow Now Assist, Jira Service Management with Rovo, Freshservice Freddy AI and Zendesk AI can answer common questions from your knowledge base in Slack or Teams and route the rest to the right queue.

Typically saves about 40% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1Check which AI features your service desk license includes.
  2. 2Connect it to your knowledge base and to Slack or Teams so people ask there.
  3. 3Turn on automatic categorization and routing for new tickets.
  4. 4Start with the 20 most common questions and check its answers weekly.
  5. 5Fix or write knowledge articles where it answers badly.

Tools: ServiceNow Now Assist · Jira Service Management with Atlassian Rovo · Freshservice Freddy AI · Zendesk AI agents · Moveworks

How to automate this task

Task 11 · typically 60 min, once a week

Upgrade dependencies and fix security alerts in packages

AutomationBest fix

Let Dependabot or Renovate open upgrade PRs, grouped and auto-merged when safe

Bots open small upgrade PRs with changelogs and auto-merge patch updates that pass tests. A coding agent can handle the breaking ones.

Typically saves about 50% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1Turn on Dependabot (GitHub) or install Renovate.
  2. 2Group minor and patch updates into one weekly PR per ecosystem to cut noise.
  3. 3Enable auto-merge for patch updates that pass CI.
  4. 4For major upgrades, assign the PR to a coding agent to fix breaking changes, then review.

Tools: Dependabot · Renovate · Snyk · Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

One more way to fix it
AI

Hand well-scoped tasks to a coding agent and review its pull request

Coding agents like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor's agent and GitHub Copilot's coding agent can read the repo, make multi-file changes and run the tests. They do best on clear, bounded tasks you can review quickly.

Typically saves about 30% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Check which coding agent your company approves and that it has access to the repo.
  2. 2Add a short instructions file to the repo (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or .cursor/rules) with how to build, test and the conventions to follow.
  3. 3Give it a ticket-sized task with acceptance criteria, using the prompt below.
  4. 4Let it run the tests; read the diff as carefully as a colleague's PR.
  5. 5Start with tests, refactors, small features and config changes before larger work.
Prompt to copy
Task: [WHAT TO BUILD OR CHANGE]. Context: [RELEVANT FILES OR MODULES]. Acceptance criteria: [LIST]. Constraints: follow the existing patterns in [EXAMPLE FILE], do not add new dependencies, do not change public APIs unless needed. First read the relevant code and give me a short plan. After I approve, make the change, add or update tests, run the test suite and linter, and summarize what you changed and anything you were unsure about.

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

How to automate this task

Task 12 · typically 60 min, once a week

Write technical docs, READMEs and design docs

AIBest fix

Generate docs and READMEs from the code with AI, then edit

A coding agent can read the module and write a first draft of the README, architecture notes or API docs, so you edit for accuracy instead of writing from nothing.

Typically saves about 45% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Run a coding agent in the repo and point it at the module.
  2. 2Use the prompt below and name the audience.
  3. 3Correct anything wrong and add the "why" that the code cannot show.
  4. 4Ask the agent to update the doc in the same PR whenever the code changes.
Prompt to copy
Read [MODULE OR FOLDER] and write a [README / design doc / runbook] for [AUDIENCE, e.g. a new engineer on the team]. Include: what it does, how to run and test it, the main components and how they talk to each other, config and environment variables, and known gotchas. Only describe what is in the code; mark anything you are inferring with [CHECK].

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

One more way to fix it
AI

Start from an AI first draft, never a blank page

Give the AI your notes, the audience and an example you liked; you spend your time editing, which is faster and better.

Typically saves about 45% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Gather your notes, bullet points and a past document you liked.
  2. 2Tell the AI who it is for and what it must achieve.
  3. 3Ask for an outline first, adjust it, then ask for the full draft.
  4. 4Edit for facts and your voice.
Prompt to copy
You are helping me write a [TYPE OF DOCUMENT] for [AUDIENCE]. The goal is [WHAT IT MUST ACHIEVE]. Here are my notes: [PASTE]. Here is an example I like the style of: [PASTE]. First give me an outline. After I approve it, write the full draft. Don't invent facts; mark anything you are unsure of with [CHECK].

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Task 13 · typically 20 min, every day

Hunt for files, numbers or answers someone already has

Software featureBest fix

Ask your workspace AI instead of searching folders

Microsoft Copilot (formerly Microsoft Copilot), Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI and Slack AI can answer questions from your company's own files, chats and email.

Typically saves about 50% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company already pays for Copilot, Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI or Slack AI.
  2. 2Ask it the question in plain words, e.g. "What did we quote Acme for the Q3 renewal?"
  3. 3Open the source it cites to confirm.
  4. 4If you have none of these, ask IT. It is often cheaper than the hours lost.

Tools: Microsoft Copilot · Gemini in Google Workspace · Glean · Notion AI · Slack AI

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Agree one home for each kind of file

Most searching comes from the same thing living in three places. Pick one place per type and link to it.

Typically saves about 35% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List the five things people search for most.
  2. 2Pick one home for each (one folder, one wiki page, one system).
  3. 3Pin the links in your team channel.
  4. 4Move or delete the copies.

Tools: SharePoint, Google Drive, Notion or Confluence

How to automate this task

Task 14 · typically 20 min, a few times a week

Take notes and send recaps after meetings

AIBest fix

Let an AI notetaker write the notes and the recap

A notetaker records the meeting, writes the summary and action items, and you send the recap in one click.

Typically saves about 75% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Check which notetaker your company allows: Copilot in Teams, Zoom AI Companion, Google Meet "Take notes for me", Otter, Fireflies or Granola.
  2. 2Turn it on for your recurring meetings and tell attendees it is on.
  3. 3After the meeting, review the action items and fix names or owners.
  4. 4Send the recap straight from the tool, or paste it into email or chat.

Tools: Copilot in Microsoft Teams · Zoom AI Companion · Google Meet "Take notes for me" · Otter, Fireflies or Granola

How to automate this task

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Have you let an AI notetaker write your meeting notes and action items?
Tools like Copilot in Teams, Zoom AI Companion or Otter join the call, write the summary and list who owes what. You just check it and send.
Have you asked an AI that can see your company files a question, instead of digging through folders?
Microsoft Copilot (formerly Microsoft Copilot), Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean and similar tools search your email, chats and files and answer with links to the source.
Have you handed a whole task to a coding agent like Claude Code, Codex, Cursor or Copilot's coding agent and reviewed its pull request?
Coding agents read your repo, make changes across files and run the tests on their own. You give them a ticket-sized task and review the result like a colleague's PR.
Does an AI reviewer comment on your pull requests before a human looks at them?
Tools like Copilot code review, CodeRabbit or Cursor Bugbot read each PR and leave a summary and line comments within minutes, catching obvious issues early.
Have you had AI write tests for code you just wrote?
A coding assistant can write unit and integration tests in your existing style. You check that the assertions really test the behavior.
Do Dependabot or Renovate open your dependency upgrade PRs automatically?
These bots watch your packages and open small PRs for each update, with release notes. Safe updates can merge themselves when tests pass.
Have you had AI draft a reply to a tricky or routine email?
You paste the email and say the point you want to make; the AI writes a draft you edit. Outlook and Gmail now have this built in.
Do you send a booking link instead of emailing back and forth about times?
A booking link shows your free times so the other person picks one. Outlook and Google Calendar both have this built in.

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Find out which of these cost your team the most

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