Adaptavist research shows 50% of developers use AI primarily to demonstrate adoption to management & 37% worry they could lose their job if they do not use AI
New findings from Adaptavist, a specialist business and technology consultancy, have revealed how poorly executed AI implementation and organizational pressure are triggering a wellbeing crisis among developers. The research indicated that rigid adoption targets and KPIs are driving developers toward performative rather than productive AI use, with the resulting strain harming the Developer Experience and endangering software engineering talent.
Based on a survey of 1,000 developers across the UK, US, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands, the findings showed that 50% of developers are employing AI mainly to prove adoption to management instead of enhancing outcomes, and 52% use it more often than needed to satisfy organizational expectations.
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That pressure is strengthened by how companies measure AI. 47% of developers report being evaluated on their AI usage volume rather than the caliber of their output, while 58% state that AI usage is becoming a formal performance metric or KPI.
Strikingly, 37% fear they could lose their position if they avoid using AI. This indicates that the drive to adopt is no longer merely about fostering experimentation. For a substantial number of developers, AI usage is becoming linked to their sense of job security.
AI anxiety is rising across every career stage
The push to adopt AI is exacting a measurable cost. 60% of developers say they are expected to accomplish more with fewer resources because of AI demands, and 54% report heightened anxiety about their long-term career outlook as a result. This rate remains consistent across career phases, at 52% for early-career, 54% for mid-career and 57% for experienced developers, suggesting that seniority offers limited protection.
The strain is especially intense among those compelled to use AI. 61% of developers experiencing forced AI usage report increased career anxiety, compared with 54% overall, while 36% say this anxiety is hurting their job performance.
Developer Experience is the priority organisations are missing
Despite the pressure, developers have a clear view of what good Developer Experience entails. 85% say having time to solve problems properly, rather than always racing against deadlines, is essential for good Developer Experience, and 72% say strong DevEx is more critical than ever in the age of AI.
Yet the reality of working in software development is already shifting:
– 40% say AI is making software development less enjoyable, rising to 52% among women
– 37% say AI is making the job more stressful
– 43% believe software development is becoming a less appealing career
For some, this is already resulting in outright rejection of the technology. 41% say that if they could choose, they would remove AI agents from the workforce entirely, while 33% would eliminate AI from the world altogether. These figures climb to 44% and 40% respectively among mid-career and experienced developers.
Matt Saunders, DevOps Lead at The Adaptavist Group, comments:
“A good Developer Experience is critical not only to the wellbeing of developers themselves, but to organisational growth and innovation. It therefore must not be undermined by adoption targets, usage metrics, or a culture that rewards being seen to use AI over actually using it well. Together, they are creating fertile ground for an exodus, one KPI at a time.
“Organisations that want to hold onto engineering talent need to stop measuring AI adoption and start measuring its outcomes, and give developers the time, autonomy and support to use the technology in ways that genuinely improve their work, rather than simply prove they are using it.”
Sam Milligan
The Adaptavist Group
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