A look back before we look forward: A Developer Survey retrospective

The 2026 Developer Survey marks the culmination of a 15-year data collection effort, offering a comprehensive view of how technology is evolving and impacting the daily work of developers. The survey analysis highlights three key areas: the evolution of AI, the role of humans in the workforce, and demographics and community dynamics.

AI tool usage has seen significant growth over the years, with 44% of developers using AI tools in 2023, rising to 62% in 2024, and reaching 79% in 2025. Almost half of all respondents reported using AI tools daily. The survey reveals that AI agents have been adopted by 31% of respondents in 2025, with ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot as the most commonly used platforms. Google Gemini, Claude Code, and Microsoft Copilot also have a presence but with smaller user bases.

When developers explore AI tooling, ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot are the primary gateways, with 82% of out-of-the-box assistants using ChatGPT and 68% using GitHub Copilot. The survey also indicates that usage of AI tools is driven by daily users and those in executive roles, suggesting that the adoption of these tools is not uniform across the developer community.

ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot dominate AI tool usage, accounting for the majority of AI-assisted tasks in the developer community. The survey findings show that while usage of AI tools is accelerating, there is still a healthy level of skepticism among developers. Positive sentiment towards AI tools has decreased from 72.2% in 2024 to 52.8% in 2025, while skepticism has quadrupled from 6.4% in 2024 to 26.3% in 2025.

The survey also sheds light on the impact of AI tools on work-life balance and job satisfaction. The traditional office landscape is evolving, with remote work becoming more common. In 2022, 43% of respondents indicated they worked fully remote, and by 2024, 42% of respondents were in hybrid work settings. The survey also reveals that early-career employees are more likely to adopt automated tooling, with 63.0% of student respondents using AI resources in 2024, compared to 73.3% in 2025.

However, this increased adoption comes with a growing sense of caution, as the enthusiasm for AI tools among students has tempered compared to that of experienced professionals.