Developers' Perceptions on the Impact of ChatGPT in Software Development: A Survey
Thiago S. Vaillant, Felipe Deveza de Almeida, Paulo Anselmo M. S. Neto, Cuiyun Gao, Jan Bosch, Eduardo Santana de Almeida
TL;DR
The paper investigates software developers' perceptions of ChatGPT through a nationwide online survey of 207 developers across 31 countries, aiming to understand factors driving adoption, perceived impact on productivity and job satisfaction, and potential effects on the software job market. Using both quantitative (Fisher exact tests on contingency tables) and qualitative (open coding) analyses, it finds that about half report productivity improvements and a majority experience higher satisfaction, with significant time savings in coding but mixed effects on code review and security-related tasks. Quality perceptions are favorable for tasks like understanding and commenting code, yet lag for security, error handling, and bug fixing, partly due to outdated training data and hallucinations. The study also reveals substantial attitudes toward AI regulation, perceived risk of layoffs, and expectations of automation, with larger organizations tending to restrict tool usage. These findings offer actionable guidance for researchers and practitioners in balancing automation benefits with quality, security, and policy considerations when integrating AI tools into software development workflows.
Abstract
As Large Language Models (LLMs), including ChatGPT and analogous systems, continue to advance, their robust natural language processing capabilities and diverse applications have garnered considerable attention. Nonetheless, despite the increasing acknowledgment of the convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Software Engineering (SE), there is a lack of studies involving the impact of this convergence on the practices and perceptions of software developers. Understanding how software developers perceive and engage with AI tools, such as ChatGPT, is essential for elucidating the impact and potential challenges of incorporating AI-driven tools in the software development process. In this paper, we conducted a survey with 207 software developers to understand the impact of ChatGPT on software quality, productivity, and job satisfaction. Furthermore, the study delves into developers' expectations regarding future adaptations of ChatGPT, concerns about potential job displacement, and perspectives on regulatory interventions.