State of AI-assisted software development • Hacker News Board

Re: State of AI-assisted software development

#71

Post by jdiff » Wed, Sep 24, 2025, 3:49 AM UTC

ACCount37 wrote: post #20

Pannoniae wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a few explanations for this, and it's not necessarily contradictory. 1. AI doesn't improve productivity and people just have cognitive biases. (logical, but I also don't think it's true from what I know...) 2. AI does improve productivity, but only if you find your own workflow and what tasks it's good for, and many companies try to shoehorn it into things which just don't work for it. 3. AI does improve prod…

"People use AI to do the same tasks with less effort" maps onto what we've seen with other types of workplace automation - like Excel formulas or VBA scripts. Why report to your boss that you managed to get a script to do 80% of your work, when you can just use that script quietly, and get 100% of your wage with 20% of the effort?

That aligns well with past ideas, but it doesn't align with the studies that have been performed, where there aren't any of the conflicting priorities you mention.

Re: State of AI-assisted software development

#72

Post by jdiff » Wed, Sep 24, 2025, 3:51 AM UTC

dionian wrote: post #24

so the whole thing is about AI?

...The article titled "How are developers using AI?" tucked behind a link labeled "State of AI-assisted software development"?

Yes, it's about AI. I'm interested to know what you were expecting. Was it titled or labeled differently 11 hours ago?

Re: State of AI-assisted software development

#73

Post by alok-g » Thu, Sep 25, 2025, 7:28 AM UTC

>> Our research this year also found that AI can act as a "mirror and a multiplier.” In cohesive organizations, AI boosts efficiency. In fragmented ones, it highlights weaknesses.

This is interesting -- It's helping in some cases and possibly worsening in some others. Does anyone have the details? (I haven't looked into the report as yet.) Thanks.

Re: State of AI-assisted software development

#74

Post by nlunbeck » Thu, Sep 25, 2025, 10:33 PM UTC

riffic wrote: post #21

DORA stands for "DevOps Research and Assessment" in case anyone was curious. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DevOps_Research_and_Assessment

DORA, recently, has been moving towards its own sphere outside of DevOps, hence why the acronym isn't usually expanded. So many of the core principles of DevOps (communication, collaboration, working across teams, etc) have impact beyond the DevOps discipline. DORA has been venturing into platform, DevEx, AI, etc.

From last year's DORA report:

"We are committed to the fundamental principles that have always been a part of the DevOps movement: culture, collaboration, automation, learning, and using technology to achieve business goals. Our community and research benefit from the perspectives of diverse roles, including people who might not associate with the "DevOps" label. You should expect to see the term "DevOps" moving out of the spotlight."

Re: State of AI-assisted software development

#75

Post by nadis » Fri, Sep 26, 2025, 10:35 PM UTC

jdiff wrote: post #72

dionian wrote: post #24

so the whole thing is about AI?

...The article titled "How are developers using AI?" tucked behind a link labeled "State of AI-assisted software development"? Yes, it's about AI. I'm interested to know what you were expecting. Was it titled or labeled differently 11 hours ago?

If I recall correctly, last year's DORA report was the first to include AI-specific sections. I don't mind it being about AI but it potentially is a bit of a shift for DORA to be more explicit in that focus vs. it being a section of a broader state of development report.

Although if the adoption of AI is as high among developers as the DORA report found, then perhaps those are effectively the same thing nowadays.