- MATLAB Copilot integrates generative AI into MATLAB to suggest code, explain functions, and assist interactively.
- Three pillars: Chat and Learn, Code Smarter, and Understand and Improve, including tests via MATLAB Test.
- Designed to boost productivity, streamline debugging, and shorten the learning curve for engineers and researchers.
- Part of a broader wave of AI assistants in developer tools; MathWorks serves academia and industries worldwide.
Engineers and scientists now have another AI helper in their toolbox: MathWorks has introduced MATLAB Copilot, a generative assistant that lives inside MATLAB to help write code faster so users can spend more time tackling technical problems.
Included with MATLAB and Simulink Release 2025b, the assistant surfaces code suggestions, explains functions, and provides interactive guidance within the MATLAB environment. It is designed to lift productivity, simplify debugging, and make learning the platform more approachable for newcomers and seasoned users alike.
What MATLAB Copilot is and how it fits into MATLAB
Rather than forcing users to switch tools, MATLAB Copilot is embedded in the editor and command-centric workflow. It taps generative AI to propose code, answer questions, and offer context-aware help drawn from MathWorks resources and examples, all without leaving the session.
In practice, that means you can ask the assistant to clarify an API, request a snippet, or get feedback on errors while you work. The responses are context-aware, using MathWorks documentation and code samples to keep the guidance relevant to the file or task at hand.
Core capabilities users will notice
MathWorks groups the experience into three main areas to match common developer needs.
- Chat and Learn: Ask free-form questions and receive targeted answers sourced from official documentation and practical code examples.
- Code Smarter: Turn natural language prompts into MATLAB code and get inline autocompletions in real time as you type.
- Understand and Improve: Interpret existing code, add comments, clarify error messages, and automatically build tests using MATLAB Test.
Together, these capabilities combine quick discovery, generation, and refinement so users can move from idea to implementation with fewer interruptions and less context switching.
Productivity and workflow impact
According to MathWorks leadership, the aim is clear: keep users focused on the work of engineering and science, not programming. Roy Lurie, Vice President of Engineering at MathWorks, emphasized that embedding generative AI into established MATLAB workflows strengthens MATLAB and Simulink as platforms for engineering innovation, helping millions of practitioners design and build sophisticated systems.
Because it operates directly within the editor, the assistant can streamline routine coding and debugging tasks, making it easier to iterate on algorithms, validate behavior, and share readable, well-documented code with teammates.
Availability and how you access it
MATLAB Copilot ships in Release 2025b of MATLAB and Simulink, with features accessible from within the familiar MATLAB interface. There’s no separate application to install or learn; suggestions and explanations appear where you already work.
From first draft to refinement, users can write in natural language, accept or edit proposed code, and rely on real-time assistance to interpret function behavior and error output without breaking flow.
Industry backdrop and who stands to benefit
This launch places MathWorks alongside a growing number of software companies that have blended AI assistants into developer tools, echoing recent moves by major industry players such as Microsoft, GitHub, and Amazon.
Given MATLAB’s footprint in academia and sectors like automotive, aerospace, electronics, and industrial automation, the assistant aims to shorten the learning curve for new users while helping experienced teams standardize patterns and move faster on complex projects.
About MathWorks
MathWorks, founded in 1984 and headquartered in Massachusetts, US, employs roughly 6,500 people across 34 offices worldwide. MATLAB and Simulink are widely adopted in research, education, and industry settings.
Across universities and labs, academia relies on MATLAB and Simulink for coursework, prototyping, and publication-grade analyses—contexts where an integrated assistant can ease onboarding and accelerate experimentation.
With code suggestions, explanations, and test generation available inside MATLAB, the new Copilot aims to reduce friction from idea to verified implementation, aligning day-to-day development with the broader goal of solving real engineering and scientific challenges.
