Developers feel pressure to use AI, survey finds

A survey of 1,000 software developers in the UK, US, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain found that many feel pressure to use artificial intelligence at work, even when they do not see meaningful results.

Half of respondents said they use AI simply to demonstrate that they can use it. Meanwhile, 47% said they are judged on how much they use AI rather than the quality of their work. Another 58% said AI use is becoming a performance metric or has been added to their key performance indicators.

The survey, conducted by Adaptavist, also found concerns about job prospects: 54% of developers said they were increasingly worried about their long-term prospects, and 37% feared losing their jobs if they did not use AI.

Matt Saunders, DevOps Lead at The Adaptavist Group, said developer experience matters for developers’ wellbeing as well as organizational growth and innovation. He said adoption targets and usage metrics could reward being seen to use AI instead of using it well.

Saunders said organizations seeking to retain engineering talent should measure AI outcomes rather than adoption, and give developers time, autonomy and support to use the technology in ways that improve their work. The survey covered developers in five countries; its findings describe respondents’ reported experiences and concerns.