AI tools have democratized software development, with nearly half of users who 'vibe code' coming from executive, product, operations, and sales roles. Coding is no longer an exclusive engineering function but a universal skill for problem-solving across the entire business.
The primary obstacle preventing users from getting more value from AI is a lack of time for learning and experimentation. This outweighs other factors like corporate policy or access to tools, suggesting that dedicated learning time is the most critical investment for organizations seeking AI mastery.
The primary benefit of AI for experienced users has evolved from efficiency gains to enabling entirely new tasks and boosting overall throughput. Time savings, once the top benefit, is now third, especially for heavy users focused on strategic value over simple task automation.
While ChatGPT has wider general usage, Claude is the preferred primary tool for the most engaged AI users. These users leverage AI for more hours, engage in more complex 'agentic' tasks, and report higher value gains, indicating Claude's strength with the advanced builder/practitioner segment.
A 'value premium' is emerging where users' reported value from AI grows faster than their usage time. Even users with flat usage hours report increasing value, demonstrating that skill development and learning curve payoffs are key drivers of AI ROI, independent of raw hours spent.
The most advanced AI users are 'polyamorous' with models, using an average of 3.5 different tools. This indicates a mature usage pattern where users select the best model for a specific job rather than relying on a single, all-purpose AI, challenging the 'winner-take-all' market theory.