How GitHub Copilot and AI agents are saving legacy systems

In 2025, the challenge of modernizing legacy COBOL systems, crucial for processing millions of daily ATM transactions, is addressed using AI tools like GitHub Copilot and autonomous agents. Despite COBOL’s age and the scarcity of knowledgeable developers, AI offers a new approach to understanding and updating these systems without requiring extensive COBOL expertise. Julia Kordick, a Microsoft Global Black Belt, exemplifies this by leveraging AI to work alongside domain experts, employing a structured three-step framework: code preparation, enrichment, and automation aids. This method allows organizations to retain control of their intellectual property while modernizing systems efficiently by extracting business logic, enriching code for AI comprehension, and automating workflows. Although full automation is still on the horizon, the integration of AI with developer expertise and domain knowledge facilitates significant progress in legacy modernization, ensuring systems remain maintainable and aligned with modern architecture.

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