GitHub’s Thomas Dohmke talks open source, AI and more on the Disrupt SaaS Stage

Stating the obvious, you can’t have software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies without software developers. Creative developers build the proprietary and open source code that fuels commercial engines around the world. Yet, as we know, technologies can change entire industries. And that begs the question, what’s the future of coding in the age of AI?

It’s a huge issue and just one reason why we’re thrilled that Thomas Dohmke, the CEO of GitHub, will join us for a fireside chat on this year’s SaaS Stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, taking place on September 19–21 in San Francisco.

Hear GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023

Acquired by Microsoft in 2018 for $7.5 billion, GitHub — now with 100 million active users — is the de facto hosting platform for millions of open source and proprietary software projects. It lets developers collaborate around shared codebases from anywhere. Two years ago, the company debuted its AI-powered programming assistant Copilot, a service that provides suggestions for whole lines of code inside popular development environments like Visual Studio Code.

As Copilot’s and AI capabilities increase, how will that play out for developers? Could human coding become obsolete? We’re curious how Dohmke will navigate a rapidly changing dynamic that could potentially change software development as we know it.

Other possible topics include how open source developers get paid. Products from some of the most profitable companies in the world depend on free open source projects, and not everyone is keen on companies monetizing that free labor. We’re also eager to learn more about GitHub’s roadmap beyond its core git-centric products.

Given how quickly AI is changing, it’s hard to know exactly where it will be and which questions will be relevant come September. But we reckon the conversation about the future of coding — plus Dohmke’s industry insights — will add up to a fireside you won’t want to miss.

Fascinated by software development since childhood, GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke built his career by creating tools developers love and by accelerating innovations that change software development. He launched GitHub Copilot, the world’s first at-scale AI developer tool, and he drives the company’s core mission of making GitHub the home for all developers.

Prior to joining GitHub, Dohmke co-founded HockeyApp, and he led the company as CEO through its acquisition by Microsoft in 2014. Dohmke holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from University of Glasgow, U.K.

Discover the SaaS Stage at Disrupt

We heard loud and clear that you wanted more Disrupt, so this year, we’re packing the entire Disrupt ecosystem into the main event! Our popular, stand-alone TC Sessions are coming to the mothership for the very first time: In addition to the Disrupt Stage, we’re filling six stages with salon-like programs that focus on the industries that matter most to the tech world today — enter the SaaS Stage.

The SaaS Stage at Disrupt is a full day of programs on how software-as-a-service unlocks creativity and efficiency with mobile apps, cloud-based resources, collaboration tools, creator communities, developer tools, e-commerce, low code, recurring revenue and marketing tools.

We’ll look at the current state of the industry, but most important, we’ll look toward what’s next. We’ll talk about what it takes to build a successful SaaS startup in 2023 and how to get funding, for example. We’ll also look at how you can build AI tools into your SaaS product, how some of the larger players think about acquisition in the current financial climate and — thinking ahead — how quantum computing startups will be able to leverage SaaS for their platforms.

Check out the full article on this year’s SaaS Stage.

TechCrunch Disrupt takes place in San Francisco on September 19–21. You can save up to $800, but the deadline is Friday, May 12 at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Hurry and buy your Disrupt pass today!

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