Why do you think that some devs are able to significantly improve their productivity using AI, while others aren’t?
Sort by:
Two things come to mind: applicability and passion. For some devs it’s just not relevant - COBOL IDEs aren’t ready to receive value from AI.
In terms of passion, between GITHUB copilot, OpenAI codex, Anthropic, Perplexity and then a variation of DEX tools with private LLMs and now a slew of sourcing suppliers bringing in their own tools - it takes a passionate developer engaged nights and weekends to ver all of that on productivity..
Sometimes, simply saying there's value in using AI isn't enough of a motivator.
If you have a small enough group or specific individuals you want to motivate to use AI more, talk to them about it.
If you have a larger group, you can still get some feedback by sampling from the group, then prepare a talk on how the use of AI tooling is delivering productivity, specifying where, how, and why. You may have some individuals who won't accept a change in tooling, but most resistance is just due to people getting stuck in a flow.
I'd also listen to any strong detractors, as they may show that others' productivity isn't delivering the broad value it may seem to on the surface. i.e., Faster coding may be causing bugs or maintenance issues later.
High-performing developers use AI as a force multiplier because they think clearly and iterate, others struggle because they expect answers without providing direction.