More than half of developers think AI codes better than humans
A survey of 800 senior developers has 75 percent of respondents saying they expect AI to significantly transform the industry within the next five years. What’s more 53 percent say they believe large language models can already code better than most humans.
The survey, from Clutch, reveals that AI has already become a daily tool for many software teams. 49 percent of senior developers and team leads say they use AI tools every day. Another 29 percent use them most days, meaning 78 percent rely on AI regularly.
Looking at where AI is most commonly used by developers, 48 percent of respondents use AI during coding, followed by 36 percent during testing and 36 percent during code review.
The largest portion of respondents have ‘positive’ feelings about AI, at 42 percent. Another 29 percent say that they feel either ‘excited’ or ‘empowered’ by these tools. However, 10 percent of developers are concerned about how AI is being used in software development, and eight percent express skepticism.
Despite largely positive sentiments, concerns do loom about AI usage, as only eight percent of respondents have concerns at all about AI. Looking at the top issues the most common concern is data privacy, as almost a quarter (24 percent) say they’re uneasy about how these tools handle sensitive data. After that, 14 percent name job loss as their top concern, and another 14 percent don’t fully trust the accuracy of AI-generated code.
Hannah Hicklen, content marketing manager at Clutch, says:
AI is already here. Developers are using it every day for writing code, testing, and reviews. It’s not something they’re testing out anymore. It’s part of how the work gets done.
Most people in the survey said they see AI as helpful. But concerns are real. Some mentioned privacy. Others talked about job security. A few said they weren’t sure how reliable AI-generated code really is. Almost half said they believe AI could change the field in ways that are hard to predict.
Nearly half of respondents say they believe AI could threaten the software development field itself, not just individual jobs. When asked how AI might affect entry into the profession, opinions are mixed. 45 percent of respondents say AI might actually lower the barrier for junior developers by giving them better tools and faster ways to learn. But 37 percent said it would do the opposite, making it harder for newcomers to compete or even get noticed. AI's ability to automate junior-level work is reshaping hiring criteria.
Despite worries about jobs the survey shows that 79 percent of respondents think AI skills will be essential for developers in the near future, and 76 percent say they’d be more likely to hire someone with AI expertise. Overall 80 percent of developers say they see AI as an enabler, not a threat.
You can access the full study on the Clutch site.
Image credit: Aleksandar Ilic/Dreamstime.com