Most tech employees use AI for their jobs, says Google
What's the story
A recent study by Google's DORA research division has revealed that a whopping 90% of tech industry workers are using artificial intelligence (AI) in their jobs. The study, which surveyed 5,000 technology professionals globally, shows a significant increase of 14% from last year. The findings come amid growing concerns and excitement over the impact of AI on jobs and the economy.
Job dynamics
Entry-level jobs in software engineering increasingly hard to find
While some fear that AI could lead to increased unemployment, others believe it will create new opportunities. However, there are indications that entry-level workers are finding it increasingly difficult to secure jobs in software engineering. This trend coincides with a wave of layoffs in the tech industry. Many companies are now offering tools for code generation and deploying agents for software development tasks at prices ranging from free to $45 per month.
Market landscape
Google not alone in AI race
Google, which oversees tools like Gemini Code Assist, has found that most teams at the company use AI. Ryan J. Salva, who leads these efforts, said the technology is integrated into everything from documentation writing to code editors. However, Google isn't alone in this race; it faces stiff competition from Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic as well as coding start-ups such as Replit and Anysphere, whose valuations are skyrocketing with increased adoption of AI.
Trust issues
Coders divided over quality of AI-generated code
Despite the widespread use of AI, not all coders are convinced about its value. The survey found that 46% of tech professionals "somewhat" trust the quality of AI-generated code while 23% only trust it "a little." Meanwhile, 20% said they trust it "a lot." Salva described the current state of software development as being between stages three and four on a scale where one is basic text prediction and five is giving vague commands to an AI.
Employment challenges
Unemployment rate among recent computer science graduates rises
The rise of AI tools comes at a difficult time for the entry-level tech workers. According to Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the unemployment rate among recent computer science graduates is now higher than that in fields such as art history and english. Job postings for software engineering roles on Indeed have also plunged by 71% between February 2022 and August 2025.