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The Effects of Generative AI on High Skilled Work: Evidence from
Three Field Experiments with Software Developers

22 Pages Posted: 5 Sep 2024

See all articles by Zheyuan (Kevin) Cui

Zheyuan (Kevin) Cui

Princeton University - Bendheim Center for Finance

Mert Demirer

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Sonia Jaffe

Microsoft Research

Leon Musolff

University of Pennsylvania - Business & Public Policy Department

Sida Peng

Microsoft Corporation

Tobias Salz

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); National Bureau of
Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: September 03, 2024

Abstract

This study evaluates the impact of generative AI on software
developer productivity by analyzing data from three randomized
controlled trials conducted at Microsoft, Accenture, and an anonymous
Fortune 100 electronics manufacturing company. These field
experiments, which were run by the companies as part of their
ordinary course of business, provided a randomly selected subset of
developers with access to GitHub Copilot, an AI-based coding
assistant that suggests intelligent code completions. Though each
separate experiment is noisy, combined across all three experiments
and 4,867 software developers, our analysis reveals a 26.08% increase
(SE: 10.3%) in the number of completed tasks among developers using
the AI tool. Notably, less experienced developers showed higher
adoption rates and greater productivity gains.

JEL Classification: J24, O32, O33

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Cui, Zheyuan and Demirer, Mert and Jaffe, Sonia and Musolff, Leon and
Peng, Sida and Salz, Tobias, The Effects of Generative AI on High
Skilled Work: Evidence from Three Field Experiments with Software
Developers (September 03, 2024). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/
abstract=4945566 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4945566
 

Zheyuan Cui

Princeton University - Bendheim Center for Finance ( email )

United States
6263497175 (Phone)

Mert Demirer

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ( email )

77 Massachusetts Avenue
50 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
United States

Sonia Jaffe

Microsoft Research ( email )

Redomond, WA 98052

Leon Musolff (Contact Author)

University of Pennsylvania - Business & Public Policy Department

University of Pennsylvania - Business & Public Policy Department ( 
email )

3641 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6372
United States

Sida Peng

Microsoft Corporation ( email )

One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
United States

Tobias Salz

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) ( email )

77 Massachusetts Avenue
50 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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