Cursor AI Coding Assistant
Overview
Intended purpose
Overview — Cursor is an AI-enabled integrated development environment (IDE), built as a fork of Visual Studio Code, that analyses full project context to offer code completions, multi-line refactorings, chat-style code queries and edits within the developer's editor.
How it is used — It assists developers by providing context-aware code generation, bug detection and refactoring. It operates under three privacy modes (No-Storage, Privacy Mode and Standard) and holds SOC 2 Type II certification; privacy and usage settings can be managed per team, with Business and Enterprise plans enforcing full privacy mode by default.
Scope and limitations — Cursor is designed to assist developers with context-aware code generation, bug detection and refactoring. It is not designed to store or train on user codebases when Privacy Mode or No-Storage Mode is enabled.
Human oversight — Developers remain fully responsible for reviewing and accepting AI-generated suggestions; Cursor does not autonomously commit code, and human review remains mandatory. Concerns about suggestion accuracy or privacy incidents are handled through existing code-review and IT escalation processes, and issues can be escalated to Cursor support if required.
Benefits
- Smarter autocomplete across a full codebase context.
- Automated multi-line edits and refactoring.
- Reduced repetitive coding via natural-language instructions.
- Code query and training that reduce the learning curve for new developers onboarded to the Scottish Government.
- Privacy-preserving handling of proprietary code under SOC 2.
Use of individuals' personal data
Not using individuals personal data
Decision making using personal data
Does not make decisions using personal data
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Datasets
Codebase Context Data
Products
Cursor
Owner and responsibility
- Contact address
- David McNabb
- Contact email
- David.mcnabb2@gov.scot