Research from DX analyzing data across 500+ companies reveals that AI coding assistant time savings follow a predictable but fragile pattern. Developers ramp up quickly — 70% reach peak savings within two quarters — but two-thirds fall back from those peak gains afterward. Three possible explanations are explored: system-level constraints (bottlenecks shift from code production to coordination), a task ceiling (easy wins get exhausted), and a shifting productivity baseline (AI gains become the new normal). The findings suggest engineering leaders should look beyond individual tool adoption and address team-level coordination bottlenecks to sustain productivity improvements.

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What we’re seeing: Peak times savings are temporaryWhat might be causing the plateau?Why this matters for engineering leaders
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