US EditionAI slows down some experienced software developers, study finds
UNITED STATES, JUL 10 – A randomized controlled trial by METR shows AI coding tools increase task time by 19% for experienced developers due to code review, modifications, and AI response delays.
- METR, a non-profit AI research group, published a study in early 2025 showing AI coding tools slowed 16 experienced developers working on large open-source projects.
- The study arose from expectations that AI tools like Cursor would reduce task completion time by 24%, but the developers performed the tasks between February and June 2025.
- Data showed developer task completion increased by 19% with AI use, despite developers believing AI improved productivity by about 20% and accepting less than 44% of AI suggestions.
- Authors attributed the slowdown to factors including the size and maturity of codebases, high developer familiarity, and AI's inconsistent reliability, while cautioning results apply narrowly and AI may aid other scenarios.
- The findings imply AI coding tools do not universally boost productivity for experienced developers in complex projects, highlighting the need for further research as AI technology rapidly evolves.
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