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Productivity gain, community strain: Stack overflow’s community response to the AI initiatives
Scholtz, Dewan Griva, Anastasia Zamani, Efpraxia D. Conboy, Kieran
Scholtz, Dewan
Griva, Anastasia
Zamani, Efpraxia D.
Conboy, Kieran
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Publication Date
2026-02-16
Type
journal article
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Citation
Scholtz, D., Griva, A., Zamani, E. D., & Conboy, K. (2026). Productivity Gain, Community Strain: Stack Overflow’s Community Response to the AI Initiatives. IEEE Software, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1109/MS.2026.3665306
Abstract
We examine how Stack Overflow’s AI initiatives impact its open-source knowledge community. Motivated by visible community fracture, such as a moderator strike and content vandalism, we use netnography with trace data to follow contributor reactions to AI venture announcements, revealing challenges around attribution, compensation, autonomy, trust, and representation. We then provide a set of recommendations that community developers or moderators may implement to help address or mitigate these challenges.
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Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Computer Society
Computer Society
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CC BY-NC-ND