March 31, 2026
Coffee cards or credible science?
Ask HN: Academic study on AI's impact on software development – want to join?
NYU wants devs on Zoom; comments want coffee, open data, and no AI shills
TLDR: NYU and a London university are interviewing U.S. developers on Zoom about how AI changes coding work. The comments split between eager volunteers, jokes about Starbucks gift cards, demands for open data, and a warning that “AI shills” could skew a self-selected study—trust is the battlefield.
NYU and City, University of London rolled up with a straight-laced invite: 45–60 minute Zoom chats with U.S.-based developers about how AI is reshaping day-to-day coding. The form is open, promises confidentiality, and it’s strictly for academic research.
But the comments? Pure theater. A few keeners smashed the sign-up—“just completed the form,” “done, good luck!”—like extra credit was due at midnight. Then the vibe pivoted to coffee-fueled comedy with the most upvotable question of the day: do I get a Starbucks gift card or anything? You could practically hear the latte foam hissing.
The hotter take arrived steaming: one skeptical voice warned the study would be “swarmed by paid AI shills,” arguing critics are too exhausted to fight a trillion‑dollar hype machine. That set the tone: Is this research or just another industry echo? Meanwhile, another commenter asked the academic equivalent of “pics or it didn’t happen”: will the results or dataset be free for everyone to see?
So you’ve got three camps: the eager helpers, the swag hunters, and the trust-but-verify crowd. It’s a tidy snapshot of today’s AI mood—curiosity, cynicism, and caffeine—crammed into one thread, with Zoom as the stage and academia playing referee. Code can wait today.
Key Points
- •NYU and City, University of London are running an interview study on AI’s impact on software development.
- •They seek U.S.-based software developers of all seniority levels, including leadership roles.
- •Interviews are conducted via Zoom and last 45–60 minutes.
- •Topics include workflow, AI tool usage, and role evolution over time.
- •Responses are confidential and used solely for academic research; interested participants apply via a Qualtrics form.