Exploring Developer Sentiment on AI Tools: Insights from the 2025 Stack Overflow Survey

Introduction: The Current State of AI in Development

As we delve into the findings of the 2025 Stack Overflow Survey, a complex picture emerges regarding developers’ engagement with artificial intelligence (AI) tools. While a significant portion of developers expresses interest in utilizing AI technologies, many remain skeptical about their effectiveness and practicality. The survey reveals that, even amidst rising enthusiasm for AI, there’s a notable hesitance concerning the adoption of AI agents, with many developers dismissing concepts like "Vibe Coding."

Growing Enthusiasm for AI Tools

One of the standout results from the survey highlights an increasing interest in AI tools. A notable 84% of respondents indicated they are either using or planning to use AI tools in their development processes. This marks an increase from 76% in the previous survey, suggesting a growing familiarity with AI advancements among developers. However, it’s crucial to interpret this data critically. Less than half of the respondents use AI tools daily, and the feedback comes from a subset of survey participants — only about two-thirds of the overall respondents provided their input on AI tool usage.

Divergence Between Professionals and Learners

When dissecting the data further, it becomes evident that there’s a distinction between various levels of experience among developers. A close examination reveals that 68% of both Professional Developers and those Learning to Code employ AI tools at least weekly. However, the tendencies differ significantly when it comes to future adoption. Approximately 19.5% of learners plan to avoid AI tools, compared to 14.7% of professionals. This discrepancy suggests that, while both groups are similarly engaged, professionals may harbor a deeper commitment to leveraging AI in their workflows.

The Usage of LLMs: Popular Choices Among Developers

The survey further categorized the types of AI tools developers have engaged with, particularly large language models (LLMs). When asked which LLMs they utilized in the past year, OpenAI’s GPT models emerged dominant, with 82% of developers reporting their use. Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet models also attracted attention, particularly among professional developers, where usage registered at 45% versus 30% among learners.

An interesting facet of the data reveals preferences for different models between the two groups. For instance, while Gemini Flash had a significant uptake among learners (42.6%), only 34.4% of professionals used it. Conversely, Deep Seek Reasoning was favored by 37.6% of learners compared to only 21.9% of professionals, suggesting differing project needs and levels of engagement with experimental models.

AI Agents: The Next Frontier

Despite the burgeoning interest in AI tools, AI agents — which promise enhanced capabilities — present a different narrative. The survey indicates that a significant 52% of developers neither use AI agents nor plan to integrate them into their workflows. Only 12,301 respondents reported utilizing AI agents, and of these, a striking 83.5% apply them for software development tasks, particularly with orchestration products like Ollama and LangChain. The adoption remains superficial, with 24.9% employing these agents for data and analytics, revealing skepticism about their comprehensive versatility.

Challenges: Concerns About Accuracy and Trust

The survey highlighted underlying anxieties that developers hold toward AI tools, particularly regarding their reliability. A staggering 87% of respondents expressed concerns over the accuracy of information derived from AI agents, while 81% voiced worries about data security and privacy. Additionally, 53% identified costs associated with AI agent platforms as a potential barrier to adoption.

These apprehensions are compounded by declining positive sentiment towards AI tools over recent years. The survey noted a drop from 70%+ in 2023 and 2024 to a mere 60% in 2025. This trend emphasizes growing distrust within the development community. Only 33% of developers reported feeling that they could trust the output generated by AI tools, a rate noticeably influenced by the experiences of seasoned professionals, who displayed higher levels of distrust.

The Reluctance Towards "Vibe Coding"

An intriguing aspect of the survey pertains to the concept of "Vibe Coding," which many developers appear to reject outright. In response to whether vibe coding plays a role in their professional work, over three-quarters of respondents answered a resounding "No." This indicates a clear resistance to incorporating vague or ambiguous design philosophies into the coding practice.

Conclusion: A Dynamic Landscape

The findings of the 2025 Stack Overflow Survey reveal a multifaceted landscape concerning developers’ interactions with AI tools. While there is considerable interest and a shift toward adoption, various challenges and a cautious mindset persist, particularly among experienced developers. As AI continues to evolve, it will be fascinating to monitor how these trends shift over time, particularly in response to emerging technologies and new insights from the developer community.

For a more in-depth exploration of the findings, you can access the full survey results through the official Stack Overflow Developer Survey website.