Does AI Actually Boost Developer Productivity?

Mark Zuckerberg's 2024 prediction that AI could replace mid-level engineers sparked debate, but a three-year Stanford study of 100,000 developers shows the reality is more complex. The research reveals nuanced, data-driven findings about where AI boosts productivity and where it may actually hinder software engineers, challenging the idea of simple replacement.

While AI does increase developer productivity in many cases, it's not a universal solution that increases productivity equally across all scenarios. Understanding variables like: task complexity, project maturity, language popularity, codebase size, and context length is crucial for effectively integrating AI to maximize benefits and avoid potential pitfalls.