Programming
Developers leveraging AI generate more code, survey finds
Thursday, September 11, 2025
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Trey Abbe |
A survey by Fastly indicates that developers leveraging AI generate more code, with senior developers reporting higher adoption and efficiency, according to company claims.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing software development, and a recent survey suggests that developers leveraging AI are reshaping coding workflows. Cloud platform provider Fastly conducted a survey in July 2025 with 791 professional developers, revealing notable differences in AI usage between junior and senior developers.
How senior developers are using AI tools
The survey found that 32% of senior developers - those with 10 or more years of experience—reported that more than half of their shipped code was AI-generated, compared to 13% of junior developers. These figures are company claims based on the survey conducted by Fastly.
The survey examined popular AI coding tools, including GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Gemini, and Anthropic Claude. Senior developers appear more willing to trust AI in production environments, while junior developers often exercise more caution.
Balancing productivity with code edits
Despite the benefits of AI, developers frequently make edits to AI-generated code. Nearly 30% of senior developers reported that they edited AI code often enough to offset most of the time savings, compared to 17% of junior developers.
However, 59% of senior developers said AI tools helped them ship code faster, versus 49% of junior developers. Slightly more than half of junior developers reported moderate speed improvements, while 39% of senior developers reported moderate gains. Senior developers were twice as likely to experience significant speed gains, according to Fastly company claims.
One senior developer noted that AI “bench-tests code and finds errors faster than a human, repairing them seamlessly in many instances.” A junior developer highlighted that AI sometimes misinterprets their intent, requiring manual correction. These responses illustrate that AI can increase efficiency, but human oversight is still essential.
How AI affects developer experience and engagement
Nearly 80% of developers reported that AI tools made coding more enjoyable. Some valued skipping repetitive tasks, while others appreciated instant feedback from AI tools. Fastly emphasizes that these findings reflect survey responses and are company claims, not independently verified data.
Key takeaways for teams adopting AI-assisted coding
The survey suggests several insights for organizations implementing AI tools:
- Senior developers are more comfortable trusting AI-generated code.
- Human oversight is critical to maintain code quality and prevent errors.
- Efficiency gains are more pronounced among senior developers.
- AI tools can reduce repetitive tasks, improving engagement and satisfaction.
As AI becomes more integrated into workflows, companies will need guidelines for review, testing, and governance when using AI-assisted coding.
Developers leveraging AI are generating more code
The survey indicates that AI adoption is significantly higher among senior developers. While these results are based on Fastly company claims, they provide insight into trends in professional development workflows. Organizations adopting AI-assisted coding should consider both efficiency benefits and the necessity of human review to ensure quality and security.
AI adoption in coding is accelerating, particularly among senior developers who report notable productivity benefits. Frequent editing of AI-generated code remains common, but the overall trend shows a growing reliance on AI to streamline development.
Fastly’s survey provides insights into current coding practices, but readers should interpret the results as company claims. AI-generated code is likely to become an increasingly standard component of professional development workflows, shaping how developers work in the coming years.
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