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Mechanisms linking coding time and seniority to AI-driven speed gains

Ascertain the mechanisms by which daily coding hours and developer seniority influence the speed improvements observed when using Google Cider V AI features (AI Code Completion, Smart Paste, and Natural Language to Code) to complete an enterprise-grade development task.

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Background

The paper found a large, negative (but not statistically significant) interaction between AI use and developers who spend five or more hours coding per day, and a negative association between seniority and time on task.

The authors explicitly state that the exact mechanisms behind these patterns remain unclear and suggest that more detailed analyses could help identify how expertise interacts with AI to affect speed.

References

While the exact mechanisms connecting hours spent coding and seniority with increased task velocity with AI tools are still unclear, approaches like the one proposed by Mozannar and colleagues are likely to be a viable path forward in identifying what is truly going on at the intersection of expertise and speed with AI.

— How much does AI impact development speed? An enterprise-based randomized controlled trial (2410.12944 - Paradis et al., 16 Oct 2024) in Section: Discussion and implications