A recent study conducted by the nonprofit organization METR revealed an unexpected finding: experienced software developers completed their tasks 19% slower when using AI tools.
What the Study Revealed
The study was conducted on a group of experienced developers who predominantly used the Cursor tool. It showed that despite developers' beliefs, working with AI slowed down task completion.
Expectations vs Reality
Before the experiment, developers believed that using AI would allow them to complete tasks 24% faster; however, after completing their work, they estimated a 20% improvement. In reality, working with AI increased task completion time by 19%.
Industry Situation
Despite the slowdown, many developers continue to use AI tools, believing they make the software development process less tedious. However, the current state of the job market raises concerns, as many tech companies are cutting jobs due to the adoption of AI.
The results of the METR study highlight the need to rethink the role of AI in software development and the challenges facing the industry.
