Factors in AI adoption — Knowledge data 2026 | Stack Overflow Developer Survey

Question

When you or your organization decides whether to adopt, continue using, or expand use of an AI tool or model for your work, which factors matter most? Select up to 3.

multi select
Optional
v2026.1
Randomized

Data

	Respondents	Percent
The tool produces useful and accurate results	3,520	30.7%
The tool meets security, privacy requirements	3,290	28.7%
The price is acceptable for the value it provides	3,090	27.0%
The tool meets legal or compliance requirements	2,557	22.3%
Not sure	2,522	22.0%
Your company policy allows for usage	1,844	16.1%
Employees or teams are asking to use it	1,451	12.7%
There is evidence that the tool improves business outcomes	1,446	12.6%
The tool reduces time spent correcting, retrying, or reworking outputs	1,401	12.2%
The tool is worth paying more for because of better results	1,137	9.9%
Usage and spending are easy to monitor or limit	1,089	9.5%
The tool works well with how people already do their jobs	1,055	9.2%
The tool connects with systems people already use	767	6.7%
The organization can switch tools or models without major disruption	665	5.8%
Human oversight is manageable	663	5.8%
Other	368	3.2%
Review burden is low	320	2.8%
The tool has observability already integrated or built in	213	1.9%

Use this data

Citation

Response data is released under the ODbL 1.0, which asks that you attribute it.

Stack Exchange Inc. (2026). “Factors in AI adoption”. Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2026. Licensed under ODbL 1.0. https://survey.stackoverflow.co/2026/knowledge/data/ai-adopt

JSON

Structured for code, with the question, the year and the source url alongside the numbers.

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      "response": "The tool produces useful and accurate results",
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      "pct": 0.307
    },
    {
      "response": "The tool meets security, privacy requirements",
      "count": 3290,
      "pct": 0.287
    },
    {
      "response": "The price is acceptable for the value it provides",
      "count": 3090,
      "pct": 0.27
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    {
      "response": "The tool meets legal or compliance requirements",
      "count": 2557,
      "pct": 0.223
    },
    {
      "response": "Not sure",
      "count": 2522,
      "pct": 0.22
    },
    {
      "response": "Your company policy allows for usage",
      "count": 1844,
      "pct": 0.161
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    {
      "response": "Employees or teams are asking to use it",
      "count": 1451,
      "pct": 0.127
    },
    {
      "response": "There is evidence that the tool improves business outcomes",
      "count": 1446,
      "pct": 0.126
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    {
      "response": "The tool reduces time spent correcting, retrying, or reworking outputs",
      "count": 1401,
      "pct": 0.122
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    {
      "response": "The tool is worth paying more for because of better results",
      "count": 1137,
      "pct": 0.099
    },
    {
      "response": "Usage and spending are easy to monitor or limit",
      "count": 1089,
      "pct": 0.095
    },
    {
      "response": "The tool works well with how people already do their jobs",
      "count": 1055,
      "pct": 0.092
    },
    {
      "response": "The tool connects with systems people already use",
      "count": 767,
      "pct": 0.067
    },
    {
      "response": "The organization can switch tools or models without major disruption",
      "count": 665,
      "pct": 0.058
    },
    {
      "response": "Human oversight is manageable",
      "count": 663,
      "pct": 0.058
    },
    {
      "response": "Other",
      "count": 368,
      "pct": 0.032
    },
    {
      "response": "Review burden is low",
      "count": 320,
      "pct": 0.028
    },
    {
      "response": "The tool has observability already integrated or built in",
      "count": 213,
      "pct": 0.019
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Markdown

A formatted table, ready to paste into a document, an issue or a prompt.

|  | Respondents | Percent |
| --- | ---: | ---: |
| The tool produces useful and accurate results | 3,520 | 30.7% |
| The tool meets security, privacy requirements | 3,290 | 28.7% |
| The price is acceptable for the value it provides | 3,090 | 27.0% |
| The tool meets legal or compliance requirements | 2,557 | 22.3% |
| Not sure | 2,522 | 22.0% |
| Your company policy allows for usage | 1,844 | 16.1% |
| Employees or teams are asking to use it | 1,451 | 12.7% |
| There is evidence that the tool improves business outcomes | 1,446 | 12.6% |
| The tool reduces time spent correcting, retrying, or reworking outputs | 1,401 | 12.2% |
| The tool is worth paying more for because of better results | 1,137 | 9.9% |
| Usage and spending are easy to monitor or limit | 1,089 | 9.5% |
| The tool works well with how people already do their jobs | 1,055 | 9.2% |
| The tool connects with systems people already use | 767 | 6.7% |
| The organization can switch tools or models without major disruption | 665 | 5.8% |
| Human oversight is manageable | 663 | 5.8% |
| Other | 368 | 3.2% |
| Review burden is low | 320 | 2.8% |
| The tool has observability already integrated or built in | 213 | 1.9% |

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