AI adoption in software development is nearly universal, but the results are anything but. While the industry has moved beyond simple code completion, the promised productivity gains often get lost in downstream chaos. So, what separates the high-performers from the rest?
Drawing on insights from the 2025 DORA State of AI-assisted Software Development report—a study of nearly 5,000 technology professionals—this session will reveal a critical truth:
AI's primary role is that of an amplifier. It magnifies the strengths of high-performing organizations and the dysfunctions of struggling ones.
In this talk, we will go beyond the hype and dive deep into the data to uncover:
* Why a ""legacy bottleneck"" can completely negate AI performance gains, and how loosely coupled architectures are essential for success.
* How Value Stream Management (VSM) acts as a force multiplier for AI, ensuring that localized productivity gains translate into measurable improvements in team and product performance.
* The crucial role of high-quality internal platforms, and why 94% of organizations have adopted platform engineering as the foundation for AI success.
* The surprising human factors at play, including why 30% of developers report little to no trust in AI-generated code, and what the data says about AI's real impact on burnout and developer satisfaction.
You will leave this session with a clear, data-backed framework for understanding and improving your team's AI adoption strategy. Instead of focusing on just the tools, you'll learn how to identify and address the systemic issues that are holding you back, and how to create an environment where AI can truly amplify your team's success.
Nathen Harvey leads Google Cloud’s DORA team, using its research to help organizations improve software delivery speed, stability, and efficiency. He focuses on enhancing developer experience and is dedicated to fostering technical communities like the DORA Community, which provides opportunities to learn and collaborate.
