Report: Lower Performing Software Engineering Teams Benefit More from AI

Source: DevOps.com

Overview

An analysis of 2,000 organizations worldwide finds that historically lower‑performing software engineering teams are seeing nearly a 50 % improvement in lead time to delivery after adopting AI coding tools. This rate of improvement is four times greater than that observed in higher‑performing teams that have also adopted AI.

Study Sponsor

The study was conducted by Plandek, a provider of a software engineering intelligence (SEI) platform.

Read the full report

Key Findings

• Lower‑performing teams experience the most significant gains from AI‑assisted development, with lead‑time reductions approaching 50 %.
• Higher‑performing teams also benefit, but at a slower pace—about one‑quarter the improvement rate of their lower‑performing counterparts.
• The disparity suggests that AI tools can act as a performance equalizer, helping teams that previously lagged behind catch up more quickly.

Methodology

• Sample size: 2,000 organizations across multiple regions and industries.
• Metrics evaluated: Lead time to delivery, deployment frequency, and other standard SEI indicators.
• Tool adoption: Teams that integrated AI coding assistants (e.g., code completion, automated refactoring) into their development workflow.

Implications for Teams

1. Prioritize AI adoption in teams that struggle with delivery speed to maximize ROI.
2. Invest in training to ensure developers can effectively leverage AI suggestions.
3. Monitor metrics post‑adoption to quantify improvements and adjust processes accordingly.

Recommendations

• Start small: Pilot AI tools with a subset of developers before scaling organization‑wide.
• Integrate with existing CI/CD pipelines to streamline the feedback loop.
• Combine AI with best‑practice engineering standards (code reviews, testing) to sustain quality while accelerating delivery.

For more details on the methodology and full dataset, refer to the original Plandek report.