37% of Developers Fear Losing Their Jobs Without AI

    According to a new study by Adaptavist, developers do not always use artificial intelligence to boost productivity. The survey included 1,000 software developers. 50% of them said they use these tools to demonstrate their skills to managers. 47% of participants also said they were evaluated based on how much they used AI rather than the quality of their work.    The survey was conducted among professionals working in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. Participants said they felt pressure to use AI regardless of the outcome. According to the developers, in many cases these tools are used not to improve work but to demonstrate activity to managers. Companies allocating large budgets to AI also raises expectations for employees.    58% of developers said AI use had already become a performance metric or had been added to key evaluation criteria. 54% of participants are concerned about their long-term careers. 37% fear they will lose their jobs if they do not use AI tools. The study shows that companies focus more on how often these tools are used than on their benefits.    Implementing artificial intelligence without taking work practices into account creates additional stress for developers. Reduced employee engagement, fear of losing one's job, and career concerns were cited among the main problems in the survey. Expert Matt Saunders believes companies should measure the results developers achieve rather than whether they use the tools. Otherwise, the risk that experienced employees will look for other jobs may increase.    Companies are advised to give developers the time, freedom, and support to test AI tools in useful ways. Instead of making frequency of use the main criterion, they should evaluate software quality and the impact on the work performed. According to the study, rewarding employees merely for creating the appearance of using AI could harm both employee well-being and companies' ability to innovate.