Software developers are showing the way forward in the use of generative AI: let’s follow their lead

A macro-survey carried out by the programming Q&A site Stack Overflow among more than 65,000 developers shows that code development professionals are not afraid of AI, and that more than 70% of them use it regularly.

In contrast, barely 12% said they considered AI a threat. Among those who said they used AI, 81% said they did so because it increased productivity, followed, in 62% of cases, by those who said they perceived an improvement in their ability to learn new skills quickly. Increased accuracy was cited as a benefit by 30% of developers, while 43% said they were confident in the accuracy of the tools, and 45% argued that such tools had difficulty handling complex tasks.

The adoption rate of AI by professional developers has increased very rapidly: from 44% in 2023, to 62% in 2024. Some 71% of developers with less than five years experience claimed to have used AI tools, compared to only 49% of those with 20 years or more of experience. In addition, at 82%, ChatGPT usage, is twice that of GitHub Copilot. Among ChatGPT users, 74% say they want to continue using it.

Software development is a complex task, with a very low level of unemployment worldwide (only 4.4%) and an activity in which 80% of professionals have…