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Senior software developers are preparing for a major shift in how they work as artificial intelligence becomes central to their workflows, according to BairesDev\u2019s latest Dev Barometer<\/i> report published today. VentureBeat was given an exclusive early look and the findings below come directly from that report. <\/p>\n
The quarterly global survey, which polled 501 developers and 19 project managers across 92 software initiatives, finds that nearly two-thirds (65%) of senior developers expect their roles to be redefined by AI in 2026. <\/p>\n
The data highlights a transformation underway in software development: fewer routine coding tasks, more emphasis on design and strategy, and a rising need for AI fluency.<\/p>\n
Among those anticipating change, 74% say they expect to shift from hands-on coding to designing solutions. <\/p>\n
Another 61% plan to integrate AI-generated code into their workflows, and half foresee spending more time on system strategy and architecture.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not about lines of code anymore,\u201d said Justice Erolin, Chief Technology Officer at BairesDev, in a recent interview with VentureBeat<\/i> conducted over video call. \u201cIt\u2019s about the quality and type of code, and the kind of work developers are doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Erolin said the company is watching developers evolve from individual contributors into system thinkers.<\/p>\n
\u201cAI is great at code scaffolding and generating unit tests, saving developers around eight hours a week,\u201d he explained. \u201cThat time can now be used for solution architecture and strategy work\u2014areas where AI still falls short.\u201d<\/p>\n
The survey\u2019s data reflects this shift. Developers are moving toward higher-value tasks while automation takes over much of the repetitive coding that once occupied junior engineers.<\/p>\n
Erolin noted that BairesDev\u2019s internal data mirrors these findings. \u201cWe\u2019re seeing a shift where senior engineers with AI tools are outperforming, and even replacing, the traditional senior-plus-junior team setup,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Despite widespread enthusiasm, developers remain cautious about AI\u2019s reliability.<\/p>\n
Over half (56%) describe AI-generated code as \u201csomewhat reliable,\u201d saying it still requires validation for accuracy and security. Only 9%<\/b> trust it enough to use without human oversight.<\/p>\n
Erolin agreed with that sentiment. \u201cAI doesn\u2019t replace human oversight,\u201d he said. \u201cEven as tools improve, developers still need to understand how individual components fit into the bigger system.\u201d <\/p>\n
He added that the biggest constraint in large language models today is \u201ctheir context window\u201d\u2014the limited ability to retain and reason across entire systems. \u201cEngineers need to think holistically about architecture, not just individual lines of code,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The CTO described 2025 as a turning point for how engineers use AI tools like GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Claude, and OpenAI\u2019s models. \u201cWe\u2019re tracking what tools and models our engineers use,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the bigger story is how those tools impact learning, productivity, and oversight.\u201d<\/p>\n
That tempered optimism aligns with BairesDev\u2019s previous Dev Barometer<\/i> findings, which reported that 92% of developers were already using AI-assisted coding by Q3 2025, saving an average of 7.3 hours per week.<\/p>\nA Year of Upskilling<\/b><\/h3>\n
In 2025, AI integration already brought tangible professional benefits. 74% of developers said the technology strengthened their technical skills, 50% reported better work-life balance, and 37% said AI tools expanded their career opportunities.<\/p>\n
Erolin said the company is seeing AI emerge as \u201ca top use case for upskilling.\u201d Developers use it to \u201clearn new technologies faster and fill knowledge gaps,\u201d he noted. \u201cWhen developers understand how AI works and its limitations, they can use it to enhance\u2014not replace\u2014their critical thinking. They prompt better and learn more efficiently.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, he warned of a potential long-term risk in the industry\u2019s current trajectory. \u201cIf junior engineers are being replaced or not hired, we\u2019ll face a shortage of qualified senior engineers in ten years as current ones retire,\u201d Erolin said.<\/p>\n
The Dev Barometer<\/i> findings echo that concern. Developers expect leaner teams, but many also worry that fewer entry-level opportunities could lead to long-term talent pipeline issues.<\/p>\nLeaner Teams, New Priorities<\/b><\/h3>\n
Developers expect 2026 to bring smaller, more specialized teams. 58% say automation will reduce entry-level tasks, while 63% expect new career paths to emerge as AI redefines team structures. 59% anticipate that AI will create entirely new specialized roles.<\/p>\n
According to BairesDev\u2019s data, developers currently divide their time between writing code (48%), debugging (42%), and documentation (35%). Only 19% report focusing primarily on creative problem-solving and innovation\u2014a share that\u2019s expected to grow as AI removes lower-level coding tasks.<\/p>\n
The report also highlights where developers see the fastest-growing areas for 2026: AI\/ML (67%), data analytics (46%), and cybersecurity (45%). In parallel, 63% of project managers said developers will need more training in AI, cloud, and security.<\/p>\n
Erolin described the next generation of developers as \u201cT-shaped engineers\u201d\u2014people with broad system knowledge and deep expertise in one or more areas. \u201cThe most important developer moving forward will be the T-shaped engineer,\u201d he said. \u201cBroad in understanding, deep in skill.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Q4 Dev Barometer<\/i> frames AI not as an experiment but as a foundation for how teams will operate in 2026. Developers are moving beyond using AI as a coding shortcut and instead incorporating it into architecture, validation, and design decisions.<\/p>\n
Erolin emphasized that BairesDev is already adapting its internal teams to this new reality. \u201cOur engineers are full-time with us, and we staff them out where they\u2019re needed,\u201d he said. \u201cSome clients need help for six months to a year; others outsource their entire dev team to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said BairesDev provides \u201cabout 5,000 software engineers from Latin America, offering clients timezone-aligned, culturally aligned, and highly fluent English-speaking talent.\u201d<\/p>\n
As developers integrate AI deeper into their daily work, Erolin believes the competitive advantage will belong to those who understand both the technology\u2019s capabilities and its constraints. \u201cWhen developers learn to collaborate with AI instead of compete against it, that\u2019s when the real productivity and creativity gains happen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Founded in Buenos Aires in 2009 by Nacho De Marco and Paul Azorin, BairesDev began with a mission to connect what it describes as the \u201ctop 1%\u201d of Latin American developers with global companies seeking high-quality software solutions. The company grew from those early roots into a major nearshore software development and staffing provider, offering everything from individual developer placements to full end-to-end project outsourcing.<\/p>\n
Today, BairesDev claims to have delivered more than 1,200 projects across 130+ industries, serving hundreds of clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 firms such as Google, Adobe, and Rolls-Royce. It operates with a remote-first model and a workforce of over 4,000 professionals across more than 40 countries, aligning its teams to North American time zones.<\/p>\n
The company emphasizes three core advantages: access to elite technical talent across 100+ technologies, rapid scalability for project needs, and nearshore proximity for real-time collaboration. It reports client relationships averaging over three years and a satisfaction rate around 91%.<\/p>\n
BairesDev\u2019s unique position\u2014bridging Latin American talent with global enterprise clients\u2014gives it an unusually data-rich perspective on how AI is transforming software development at scale.<\/p>\n
The Dev Barometer<\/i>\u2019s Q4 2025 results suggest 2026 will mark a turning point for software engineering. Developers are becoming system architects rather than pure coders, AI literacy is becoming a baseline requirement, and traditional entry-level roles may give way to new, specialized positions.<\/p>\n
As AI becomes embedded in every stage of development\u2014from design to testing\u2014developers who can combine technical fluency with strategic thinking are set to lead the next era of software creation.<\/p>\n