Developer Productivity Will Decline in 2025 | Predictions from LinearB’s Ori Keren
2025 will test every assumption about how engineering teams work.
With the new year fast approaching Ori Keren, CEO of LinearB, has some bold predictions that might surprise you, like why developer productivity could actually go down in 2025.
Yep, you read that right.
As AI tools flood the market, we might see a dip in both productivity and creativity before the long-term benefits kick in. It’s a wake-up call for engineering leaders to rethink how they lead their teams.
Ori dives into the trends that’ll dominate:
AI’s rise
The ever-growing need for cybersecurity
How DevEx and developer productivity are heading for a showdown
His advice? Stop flying blind. “You can’t optimize what you don’t measure,” he says.
If you’re leading an engineering org, this episode is your 2025 game plan: a mix of data-driven decision-making and people-first strategies to stay ahead in a year of change. Don’t miss this insightful fusion of qual and quant.
“I don't think we can go to another year where people or engineering leaders are saying to themselves, ‘Maybe I can get along without measuring.’ You can't optimize what you're not measuring.”
The Download
The Download delivers next year’s engineering trends, today. 🚀
1. Developers spend just one hour coding each day, says AWS 💻
Fresh from AWS re:Invent, Amazon revealed a startling statistic: developers only spend an hour a day coding, with the rest of their time consumed by debugging, testing, and other tasks. In response, AWS announced Amazon Q Developer, a new AI-driven agent designed to tackle these inefficiencies, freeing up engineers to focus on actual coding.
Read: Amazon says developers spend a surprisingly small amount of time per day coding
2. Google Search’s major overhaul could reshape user expectations in 2025 🔎
With AI tools like ChatGPT reshaping how we find information, Google plans a massive 2025 Search update to stay ahead. For engineering leaders, this is a clear sign: even the biggest players are pivoting fast. As user expectations evolve, teams must prioritize AI-driven innovation to keep their edge, or risk being left behind.
Read: Sundar Pichai says Google Search will ‘change profoundly’ in 2025
3. Palo Alto Networks predicts a new era for cybersecurity in 2025 🦹
Palo Alto Networks envisions a transformative shift in cybersecurity by 2025, highlighting the need for unified platforms, data transparency, and strategic partnerships. They foresee AI-driven attacks escalating, quantum computing creating new vulnerabilities, and the rise of quantum-resistant cryptography as a critical defense. For engineering leaders, this means integrating advanced security measures and fostering cross-team collaboration to build resilience into their systems.
Read: 2025 Predictions — How One Year Will Redefine the Cybersecurity Industry
Why Google and Microsoft think your best work might happen at 9 PM 🥘 (sponsored)
New research from Google and Microsoft reveals a surprising third productivity peak for developers around 9 PM. This “triple-peak day” highlights how remote work can unlock focus time, but also raises big questions about burnout and balance, especially for hybrid teams. Check out the research and consider how your team should adapt to this reality.
Read: Why Google and Microsoft Think Your Team’s Best Work Might Happen After Dinner
4. The promise of platform engineering 🤝
Fan favorite Charity Majors from Honeycomb.io joins Dan Lines in this live recording to explore the transformative potential of platform engineering. From aligning technical tools with business goals to fostering team autonomy, this episode offers engineering leaders fresh insights into building resilient, high-performing systems.