In developers’ evaluations of their tools and technologies, they may take as much as they can from the technology yet still face roadblocks due to a technology’s limitations or their lack of experience with the technology. Regardless of whether they are experienced developers or novices, developers may perceive gaps that their tools, skills, or knowledge do not adequately address. This new question in the AI & Machine Learning Survey Report series asks developers to identify the most pressing needs in their development work. While the question does not explicitly state the nature of the needs, many of the answer options imply that these needs are unmet. However, one could also interpret the responses as the most immediate needs developers encounter on a day-to-day basis.

Generative AI can serve many functions in testing, delivery, and deployment, as it can generate test scenarios and flood systems with data for volume and stress testing purposes. However, developers often report that their organizations are using generative AI in earlier stages, either in planning or in coding. Generative AI may serve as a sanity check for identifying potential behaviors or risks, allowing software architects to identify potential holes in their designs before they hand these designs to the engineering team. Given a certain set of parameters, generative AI can also recommend design patterns or make recommendations based on existing patterns. Once projects reach the coding phase, code completion and code generation tools can allow developers to spend more time working on feature specifics.