The new AI literacy: Insights from student developers

AI has made it easier than ever for student developers to work efficiently, tackle harder problems, and pursue ambitious projects. But for students earning technical degrees, these new capabilities also create genuine tensions around learning. How much should I use AI? What should I use it for? As 90% of technology professionals now use AI in their daily work according to Google's DORA 2025 report , understanding how the next generation navigates these tools matters more than ever. Contrary to fears that students use AI to cheat or are becoming intellectually lazy, our research with UC Berkeley students reveals something different. Students treated AI as a learning partner rather than a shortcut, using it strategically for some tasks while deliberately turning it off for others. As AI becomes foundational to software development, the question isn't whether to adopt these tools but how to work with them thoughtfully. The students at UC Berkeley are showing us one answer: with curiosity,