A recent survey by Atlassian reveals that while 99% of developers now save time with AI tools, persistent organizational inefficiencies negate much of these gains, keeping developer frustration high across six countries.
- 99% of developers report time savings from AI with 68% saving over 10 hours weekly
- Top friction points include information retrieval, tech adaptation, and tool switching
- 63% of developers say leaders don’t understand their pain points, up from 44%
What happened
Atlassian’s 2025 Developer Experience Survey polled 3,500 developers and managers across six countries to assess AI’s impact on daily work routines. The results indicate a drastic increase in reported productivity gains with 99% of developers now acknowledging time saved through AI tools, a sharp rise from the previous year.
This time saving is notable not only in coding-related tasks, but across a broader range of activities including quality improvement and documentation. However, despite these advances, developers still experience significant friction from organizational challenges, causing substantial time loss each week.
Why it matters
The survey highlights a critical imbalance where AI-driven productivity gains are offset by inefficiencies in organizational processes. Half of developers lose 10 or more hours weekly to non-coding tasks such as finding information, adjusting to new technologies, and frequent context switching.
This ongoing friction directly affects the ability to deliver high-quality software quickly. Furthermore, a notable empathy gap exists between developers and their leaders, with an increasing number of developers feeling misunderstood, which hampers efforts to systematically alleviate these bottlenecks.
What to watch next
Organizations will need to move beyond reliance on AI alone and take a structured approach to identify and resolve developer friction points. Prioritizing clear communication between developers and leadership is critical to closing the empathy gap and aligning efforts to optimize workflows.
Future progress will depend on integrating AI capabilities strategically throughout the software development lifecycle, targeting the root causes of inefficiency rather than only focusing on coding assistance. Success will manifest in reduced time lost to organizational hurdles and stronger developer satisfaction.