Software developers are saving more than a full day’s work each week through AI tools, new research shows, but they’re losing time in other critical areas.

Atlassian’s State of DevEx report found that AI adoption among developers has surged over the last year, helping to drive notable productivity improvements and reduce manual labor.

More than two-thirds (68%) of developers told Atlassian they’re saving at least 10 hours per week using AI tools, which represents a significant increase compared to last year when only 46% of devs reported similar gains.

These time savings are being utilized effectively, the study pointed out, with developers dedicating spare time toward enhancing code quality or developing new features.

However, while developers are gaining time in some aspects, pressure is rising in other parts of their workweek. Atlassian noted an “unexpected paradox” — despite greater AI use, overall productivity isn’t increasing proportionally.

In fact, 50% of developers said they still lose over 10 hours a week and 90% lose at least six hours or more due to “organizational inefficiencies”.

Both developers and managers identified common problems such as poor communication and collaboration between teams, along with a “l(fā)ack of clear direction” on projects.

Another major obstacle for developers involves simply locating information, according to Atlassian. This was cited as the top cause of wasted time for development teams, alongside managing technical debt.

This isn’t the first time Atlassian has highlighted how retrieving knowledge impacts performance. A previous company study from March this year showed employees were wasting a quarter of their working week searching for job-related information.

Workers in the UK specifically wasted an average of nine hours weekly, amounting to hundreds of hours annually. The State of DevEx report stated that for a firm employing 500 developers, this lost time translates into a $7.9 million (￡5.8m) annual loss.

Atlassian CTO Rajeev Rajan mentioned that although the report illustrates AI’s benefits, it also emphasizes the need for improved interdepartmental processes.

“This high-pressure combination of innovation and stress requires a closer examination of how AI is transforming the developer experience and what it means for the future of software development industry-wide,” he said.

“In a year marked by economic uncertainty, rapid AI advancements, and increasing demands to deliver faster, the developer experience remains central in leadership discussions.”

Developer challenges must be recognized

Importantly, Atlassian’s research warns about a growing gap between management and developers, with leaders often failing to grasp the real difficulties faced by developers.

Nearly two-thirds (63%) of developers said they believe organizational leaders don't understand key issues their teams face daily — a 19% rise compared to last year’s findings.

This is where the question of whether AI tools are genuinely benefiting developers becomes relevant, Atlassian observed. These tools mainly assist with coding tasks, which occupy only about 16% of a developer's week — the rest of their time is spent on general administrative duties.

“To truly enhance the developer experience, the 84% of the workweek spent on less enjoyable tasks must be addressed,” the company emphasized.

Tackling these obstacles will be a challenge for executives and senior developers alike, the study cautioned, though improving documentation and access to information could serve as a solid starting point since it was identified as a major issue.

Notably, the company indicated that developers are eager for the ability to “create and maintain self-serve resources” that they can easily access. Achieving efficiency improvements here alone would significantly cut down on manual effort and streamline workflows.

“When developers can access information independently, they are 4.4 times more productive,” the company stated. “To close the gap between developers and leadership, teams should communicate challenges early, providing clear examples and context to highlight areas of friction.”

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