A trust and productivity paradox

Despite the widespread adoption and perceived benefits, some software development professionals remain cautious about using AI in their work. Our report uncovers a surprising "trust paradox": While 24% of respondents report a "great deal" (4%) or "a lot" (20%) of trust in AI, 30% trust it "a little" (23%) or "not at all" (7%). This indicates that AI outputs are perceived as useful and valuable by many of this year’s survey respondents, despite a lack of complete trust in them. This could also imply that AI is being incorporated into workflows as a supportive tool to enhance productivity and efficiency, rather than serving as a full substitute for human judgment.

While AI is boosting individual performance, its effect on organizations is more complex. This year's research shows that AI adoption is now linked to higher software delivery throughput, meaning teams are releasing more software and applications, which is a positive reversal of last year's findings. However, the ongoing challenge remains of ensuring software works as intended before it's delivered to users.

Reflections on how teams work

Our research this year also found that AI can act as a "mirror and a multiplier.” In cohesive organizations, AI boosts efficiency. In fragmented ones, it highlights weaknesses.

To better understand these underlying conditions, this year's report moves beyond simple performance metrics to reveal seven distinct team archetypes, providing a deeper, more human-centric view of what drives success in AI adoption. These profiles, from "Harmonious high-achievers" to teams caught in a "Legacy bottleneck," offer a richer narrative that can help organizations understand the unique interplay between performance, well-being and workplace environment.

For organizations ready to adopt AI, new tools can help them evolve their work processes - meaning they benefit from both the productivity boost and the resulting transformation.

A blueprint for guiding AI in organizations

Adoption of AI alone isn't enough to guarantee success though. That’s why this year, we’re also introducing a new blueprint of seven essential capabilities for amplifying AI's impact. The DORA AI Capabilities Model is based on extensive research and identifies a blend of technical and cultural factors that are crucial for success.