Robot Co-Pilots: How AI Is Transforming Drupal Development

Picture having a tireless assistant who helps you write code, debug issues, and generate documentation, all while you focus on the creative aspects of building great Drupal sites. That's the reality of AI in development today, and it's more accessible than you might think.

The session "Robot Co-Pilots: Accelerating Drupal Development with AI" at DrupalCamp Asheville will demonstrate how to harness these tools effectively. Whether you're a seasoned developer, project manager, or business owner curious about improving your team's workflow, this is an opportunity to explore these concepts hands-on with the Drupal Community. 

Two Sides of the AI Coin

The session explores AI from two angles. First, we'll look at AI capabilities within Drupal itself, from intelligent content creation and automated tagging to building conversational chatbots that enhance user experience. Drupal's ecosystem of contributed AI modules continues to grow, and with the recently launched Drupal AI Initiative bringing additional momentum to these efforts, AI features are rapidly becoming essential tools in our toolkit.

Second, we'll dive into how AI accelerates the development process itself. You've probably heard of ChatGPT and Claude, but do you know how to use them effectively for Drupal development? Together, we'll progress through the levels of AI integration, from simple web-based assistants for code reviews to sophisticated development environments where AI helps with multi-file refactoring and automated testing.

Practical Tools, Real Results

This isn't about far-future possibilities, it's about leveraging tools you can use Monday morning. 

We'll explore:

• Free options like ChatGPT and Claude for immediate productivity gains
• GitHub Copilot for in-editor code suggestions
• Specialized tools like Cursor, Windsurf, and Continue.dev for deeper integration
• Custom GPTs trained specifically for Drupal best practices

The session includes demonstrations, showing how these robot co-pilots handle real development challenges. You'll see AI assist with debugging complex Drupal hooks, generating test cases, and even helping plan site architectures.

Start Where You Are

One of the session's key strengths is its progressive approach. If you’ve never used AI for development, we'll start with basics that require no setup or investment. If you’ve already seasoned and are looking to take the next step, we’ll push into advanced territory with desktop applications, Model Context Protocol (MCP) integration and automated workflows.

Everyone leaves with a practical roadmap tailored to their current comfort level!

Join the Conversation

Whether you're AI-curious or already exploring these tools, this session offers concrete strategies to enhance your Drupal workflow. Join us at DrupalCamp Asheville on July 12, 2025, to discover how AI can become your most valuable development partner.

Can't make it to Asheville? The session will be recorded and posted to DrupalCamp Asheville's YouTube channel afterward, ensuring everyone in the Drupal community can benefit from these insights.

The robots aren't replacing us; they're here to help. Let's learn how to work with them effectively.