---
title: "Next steps after receiving an AI prompt response — AI data 2026"
url: https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/ai/data/ai-work-next
year: 2026
chapter: "ai"
question: "AIWorkNext"
section: "Trust in AI and other trends"
licence: "ODbL 1.0 (https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/1-0/)"
---

# Next steps after receiving an AI prompt response

Most developers validate AI output by running it locally (76%), comparing it with the codebase (64%), or checking tests/security (53%). Only 10% use answers as-is.

Asked as: When you receive an AI-generated answer for a development task, what do you usually do before using it? Select all that apply. (`AIWorkNext`, multi select, optional, v2026.1)

## Options offered

1. Run it locally
2. Read official docs
3. Search Stack Overflow
4. Ask a coworker
5. Inspect tests/security implications
6. Compare against codebase context
7. Use as-is
8. I do not use AI tools.

## Results

### All Respondents

n = 13,162

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| Run it locally | 10,067 | 76.5% |
| Compare against codebase context | 8,411 | 63.9% |
| Inspect tests/security implications | 6,977 | 53.0% |
| Read official docs | 4,998 | 38.0% |
| Search Stack Overflow | 1,601 | 12.2% |
| Use as-is | 1,265 | 9.6% |
| Ask a coworker | 907 | 6.9% |
| I do not use AI tools. | 228 | 1.7% |

In context: https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/ai/data.md