Developer trust in AI Declines as Tool Sprawl Persists, New Stack Overflow Survey Reveals
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - October 23, 2025 – Tech and business leaders are facing a shifting landscape in developer relations with artificial intelligence, according to newly released findings from the 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey.While AI adoption continues, developer trust is waning due to issues with accuracy and debugging, even as the proliferation of tools complicates workflows. The survey underscores the enduring importance of human connection and community validation for solving complex technical challenges.
the annual Stack Overflow Developer Survey, a benchmark for understanding the evolving needs and behaviors of the software development community, provides critical insights for leaders navigating the current AI hype cycle. The data reveals that despite the excitement surrounding AI-powered coding assistants, developers are increasingly frustrated with solutions that require significant refinement and debugging.This, coupled with the continued rise in the number of tools developers use daily, suggests AI isn’t necessarily streamlining development - and may even be adding to the complexity.
Key findings from the survey include a decline in developer trust in AI, attributed to solutions that are “almost right, but not quite” and the time spent correcting AI-generated code. Despite the rise of AI, 80% of developers still regularly visit Stack Overflow, demonstrating the continued need for human expertise and community support. Notably, the number of “advanced questions” posted on the platform has doubled since 2023, highlighting AI’s limitations when tackling complex, context-dependent problems.
The survey also confirms that tool sprawl remains a significant challenge, with most developers utilizing between 6-10 tools in their workflows. This suggests that AI is frequently enough adding to the existing toolset rather than consolidating it, potentially hindering productivity.
Eira May, B2B Editor at Stack Overflow, and Natalie Rotnov, Senior Product Marketing Manager for the Enterprise Product Suite at Stack Overflow, recently discussed these findings on the Leaders of Code podcast, offering actionable recommendations for leaders focused on delivering value and improving developer experience.
Leaders seeking a consolidated summary of the 2025 Stack Overflow Developer Survey’s key insights can explore resources available at https://stackoverflow.co/teams/resources/2025-stack-overflow-developer-survey-for-leaders/. Individuals interested in connecting with natalie Rotnov can find her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalierotnov.
