Commands as AI Conversations

TL;DR

The paper introduces 'ai-cli', an open-source system that converts natural language prompts into executable Linux command-line commands using AI, aiming to simplify command-line interactions for developers and data scientists.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach to integrate AI assistance into command-line tools by dynamically linking with each program's Readline API, enabling smarter and more user-friendly interfaces.

Findings

Successfully converts natural language to commands using OpenAI API.

Enhances usability of command-line tools with AI-driven assistance.

Facilitates cross-platform applicability and further development.

Abstract

Developers and data scientists often struggle to write command-line inputs, even though graphical interfaces or tools like ChatGPT can assist. The solution? "ai-cli," an open-source system inspired by GitHub Copilot that converts natural language prompts into executable commands for various Linux command-line tools. By tapping into OpenAI's API, which allows interaction through JSON HTTP requests, "ai-cli" transforms user queries into actionable command-line instructions. However, integrating AI assistance across multiple command-line tools, especially in open source settings, can be complex. Historically, operating systems could mediate, but individual tool functionality and the lack of a unified approach have made centralized integration challenging. The "ai-cli" tool, by bridging this gap through dynamic loading and linking with each program's Readline library API, makes command-line interfaces smarter and more user-friendly, opening avenues for further enhancement and cross-platform applicability.