Job Check
Software Developers
Research, design, and develop computer and network software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions, applying principles and techniques of computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis. Update software or enhance existing software capabilities. May work with computer hardware engineers to integrate hardware and software systems, and develop specifications and performance requirements. May maintain databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.
10 main tasks · most important first
Your main tasks and AI
Importance- 01Analyze user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints.People already use AI for this at work
- 02Develop or direct software system testing or validation procedures, programming, or documentation.AI could speed this up a lot
- 03Confer with systems analysts, engineers, programmers and others to design systems and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces.AI could speed this up a lot
- 04Modify existing software to correct errors, adapt it to new hardware, or upgrade interfaces and improve performance.People already use AI for this at work
- 05Prepare reports or correspondence concerning project specifications, activities, or status.People already use AI for this at work
- 06Analyze information to determine, recommend, and plan installation of a new system or modification of an existing system.People already use AI for this at work
- 07Store, retrieve, and manipulate data for analysis of system capabilities and requirements.People already use AI for this at work
- 08Design, develop and modify software systems, using scientific analysis and mathematical models to predict and measure outcomes and consequences of design.AI could speed this up a lot
- 09Determine system performance standards.AI could speed this up a lot
- 10Consult with customers or other departments on project status, proposals, or technical issues, such as software system design or maintenance.People already use AI for this at work
Tasks from O*NET® 31.0 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0, changed by us), most important first. “Already use” comes from Anthropic’s data on real work chats with Claude; “could speed up” from task ratings made with GPT-4 in 2023.
Four studies, side by side
None is a forecast of job loss29%of this job’s work time goes to tasks that people already do with Claude at work, counting tasks where AI only helps as half (2026).Anthropic, 2026
87%of this job’s tasks an AI model could do in half the time, counting tasks that need extra tools as half (rated in 2023).Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, 2023
Above 85% of jobsin how often and how well AI helped with this job’s work in Microsoft Copilot chats (2024 data).Microsoft Research (Tomlinson et al.), 2025
Your human edge
AI touches every main task of this job in some way. Your edge is judgment: knowing when AI’s work is right, and checking it before it counts.
AI tools for your work
Official connectors that let an AI assistant work inside the apps software developers use. Each is made by the app’s own maker.