In the recently released Google 2024 DevOps Status Report, surveys show that over 75% of developers and IT professionals rely on artificial intelligence (AI) in their daily work. Conducted by Google Cloud's DevOps Research and Assessment (DORA) team, this survey covered nearly 3,000 global tech practitioners, revealing the rapid adoption of AI in the tech industry.

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Image source: The image is AI-generated, provided by the image licensing service Midjourney.

The report highlights that 76% of respondents use AI for tasks such as code writing, information summarizing, and code interpretation. Moreover, 81% of participants mentioned that their companies have shifted resources towards AI development, indicating that AI is becoming a significant force driving technological advancement.

Of greater concern is the finding that the application of AI correlates positively with several positive work indicators. About 67% of developers believe AI can improve code quality. Data shows that with a 25% increase in AI adoption, document quality improved by 7.5%, code quality by 3.4%, and code review and approval speeds increased by 3.1% and 1.3%, respectively. Additionally, code complexity decreased by 1.8%.

However, the survey also reveals new challenges posed by AI. Researchers note that nearly 40% of professionals have "almost no trust" or "no trust" in AI-generated code, indicating the need for more attention and management in the integration of AI technology. Delivery stability issues are particularly pronounced, with data showing a 1.5% decrease in delivery throughput and a 7.2% reduction in delivery stability due to AI adoption. Researchers emphasize that improving development processes alone does not automatically enhance software delivery performance, especially without effective testing mechanisms.

To address this, the research team recommends that businesses in the AI development era need to implement change management measures, including empowering employees to reduce tedious work, establishing clear AI usage guidelines, and encouraging employees to explore AI tools to enhance trust in AI.

It is worth noting that the survey also shows that 89% of respondents use internal development platforms, and when companies have dedicated platform teams, team productivity increases by an average of 6%. Researchers stress the importance of creating a good developer experience, as a healthy corporate culture can help reduce job burnout and improve work efficiency and satisfaction.

Key Points:

🔍 Over 75% of developers rely on AI, but nearly 40% of users distrust AI-generated code.

📊 The application of AI has improved code quality and work efficiency but has also led to a decrease in delivery stability.

💡 Businesses need to actively manage AI integration, empower employees, and encourage the exploration and application of AI tools.