How is the developer community responding to generative AI?
We live in a software-driven world. Much of human history is now being recorded in code, and our demand for new technologies is insatiable. As such, we are increasingly reliant on our global developer community and how we engage with that community matters, particularly at a time when artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how we build, test, and deploy new software. Whether you’re an AI startup or established enterprise creating new AI products for developers, tracking sentiment across that audience is key to creating content that fosters dialogue, explores relevant subject matter, and provides valuable, timely insight.
Developers are braced for change
According to Stack Overflow’s 2024 Developer Survey, the top four benefits developers recognise in AI coding tools are as follows: increased productivity (81%), faster learning (62%), improved efficiency (58%), and enhanced coding accuracy (30%). Clearly, the ability to get more done in less time appeals, which explains why 76% of developers are already using or planning to use AI coding tools.
New offerings from industry giants like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and GitHub, as well as rapidly growing AI startups like poolside and Qodo, are regularly entering the market. These tools promise impressive efficiency and productivity gains that can help hardworking developers win back precious hours of the day, focus on more rewarding work, and achieve a healthier work/life balance.
Sounds good, right?
In theory, yes. But it can be difficult to separate hype from reality. If a trainspotter caught sight of a locomotive comparable to the hype train surrounding generative AI, they'd be at severe risk of spontaneous combustion. Seriously, this thing would plunge the Hogwarts Express into a crisis of confidence. Whenever fanfare of this scale arises, it’s only a matter of time before a counter-wave of scepticism begins to emerge——and the data reveal as much.
According to Stack Overflow’s survey, 72% of developers have a favourable attitude towards generative AI. While that’s overwhelmingly positive, it is down from 77% in 2023. Ballooning hype can’t sustain itself forever, and the more developers get hands-on with AI tools, the more they can judge how well the technology’s potential matches up to the reality of daily usage. Right now, most find themselves somewhere between what Gartner refers to as a “trough of disillusionment” and an upward “slope of enlightenment.” While they remain open to the potential of generative AI, their experience with current tools hasn’t completely met their expectations.
Potential yet to be realised
According to Stack Overflow, 45% of professional developers believe generative AI tools are bad or very bad at handling complex tasks. 63% say the tools lack the crucial context necessary to understanding their organisation’s codebase, internal architecture, and institutional knowledge. The result? 66% of developers distrust outputs from AI tools.
This is a sentiment you’ll often encounter on the r/programming subreddit. You don’t have to look far before you start finding posts from developers bemoaning the unreliability of AI-generated code. Freeing up hours that would have been spent on coding tasks doesn’t mean much if you then need to spend those hours correcting errors in AI code. You’re just swapping one problem for another.
The concerns developers feel towards generative AI go beyond the effectiveness of the tools themselves. 61% of developers agree or strongly agree that generative AI raises many ethical concerns. Responsible AI policies and the legal frameworks to support them are still emerging, and concerns about data privacy and IP infringement are common. There’s also the question of job security.
Should developers fear being replaced?
The Stack Overflow survey reveals that 80% of developers are unhappy at work. There are multiple reasons behind this worrying insight, from failed expectations and bureaucracy to declining salary and layoffs. Many overworked developers struggle to find a healthy work/life balance, a point that is leading some to exit software altogether. For those that want to stay, it’s completely rational to wonder if their current role will even exist in the future. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff recently suggested that the company would not hire any software engineers in 2025. Such statements do little to reassure developers worried about being automated out of existence.
Thankfully, there is a more optimistic perspective. Many believe that AI will actually bring about a significant expansion in the developer workforce, and enable smaller, more agile teams to achieve bigger things. However, there will be a bit of a learning curve. Gartner predicts that as much as 80% of the software engineering workforce will need to upskill through to 2027. While that may worry some, it presents a fantastic opportunity for developers to broaden their skills and potentially command higher salaries.
Untangling the web
Ultimately, sentiment among developers towards AI coding tools is a cocktail of excitement, apprehension, and a healthy dose of scepticism. That sentiment will continue to shift and change as generative AI evolves. If you want to create content that resonates with the developer community, the first thing to remember is that any community is a group of individuals with unique experiences, expertise, and opinions. There is no single content strategy that is going to land perfectly with every software engineer. That said, keeping track of the how the hype cycle evolves will keep you better attuned to the people you’re trying to engage.
As discussed, we’re largely beyond the initial buzz now, and your messaging should reflect that. In practice, that means avoiding overly generic statements or repetitive claims that, whether consciously or subconsciously, we’ve all likely become a bit fatigued by at this point. Instead, creatively frame the benefits of your products within the daily lives of hardworking developers. That can be as simple as saying ‘Sleep more. Build more.’ instead of ‘Save time,’ or ‘An AI that answers the intern’s questions, so you don’t have to’ instead of ‘Streamline onboarding.’
Finally, be direct. Getting to the point quickly is good practice in any communication, but it’s particularly true when writing for a developer audience. As all the research above shows, they have little time to spare, so say what you need to say and let them get back to it.
Oh, and yes, the irony of ending a 1000+ word blog with a call for concision is not lost on me.
