Google Cloud’s DORA research programme has released its 2025 report, State of AI-assisted Software Development, revealing a sharp rise in AI adoption among technology professionals worldwide.

The research, which surveyed nearly 5,000 technology professionals, found that 90% are now using AI in their workflows — a 14% increase from last year. On average, respondents reported spending around two hours per day working with AI tools.

“AI is no longer a novelty, but a near-universal part of a developer’s toolkit,” the report states.

Productivity and code quality gains

According to the report, 65% of respondents described themselves as heavily reliant on AI for software development tasks, with 37% reporting a “moderate amount” of reliance, 20% “a lot” and 8% “a great deal.”

The research highlights strong productivity and quality outcomes. Over 80% of participants said AI had enhanced their productivity, while 59% reported improvements in code quality.

The trust paradox

Despite widespread adoption, concerns remain. The report highlights a “trust paradox”: 24% of respondents reported “a great deal” (4%) or “a lot” (20%) of trust in AI, while 30% expressed little or no trust.

This, the researchers suggest, shows AI tools are widely seen as valuable despite limitations in confidence. “AI outputs are perceived as useful and valuable by many of this year’s survey respondents, despite a lack of complete trust in them,” the report notes.

Impact on organisations

While AI appears to be boosting individual productivity, its organisational impact is more complex. The 2025 report links AI adoption to higher software delivery throughput — a reversal of last year’s findings — but also underlines ongoing challenges in ensuring software functions as intended before release.

The study describes AI as a “mirror and a multiplier,” amplifying efficiency in cohesive organisations while exposing weaknesses in fragmented ones.

To illustrate this, DORA introduces seven distinct team archetypes, ranging from “Harmonious high-achievers” to those caught in a “Legacy bottleneck.” The report suggests these archetypes offer a more human-centric understanding of how AI adoption plays out across different workplace environments.

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Alongside the findings, Google Cloud has unveiled the DORA AI Capabilities Model, a new framework outlining seven technical and cultural capabilities deemed essential for amplifying AI’s impact.

According to the report, the key takeaway is clear: AI is a transformative tool for developers, but realising its full potential requires more than just adoption – it demands that organisations evolve their culture, processes and systems to support a new era of software development.