Hands-On Labs Boost Developer Productivity
AI adoption is lagging behind the rapid pace of AI feature releases, according to Instruqt’s latest report. The State of Developer Adoption, conducted by SlashData, surveyed 424 professionals in marketing, sales, and developer education from North American software companies. The report emphasises the critical role of hands-on labs in bridging this gap.
The survey reveals that a staggering 92% of respondents face significant challenges with developer adoption. Key issues include team misalignment (27%), technology complexity (26%), and difficulties in maintaining accurate content due to frequent product updates (25%). These challenges underscore the growing need for better operational alignment across teams.
Adriaan Knapen, CEO of Instruqt, notes, “The pace of AI innovation has fundamentally changed how software companies think about adoption.” Successful companies align marketing, sales, and education around cohesive, hands-on experiences.
Hands-On Labs Boost Developer Productivity
The report highlights that organisations using hands-on labs are 50% more likely to achieve developer productivity within two months compared to those that do not. This approach integrates marketing, sales, and education into a seamless experience, minimizing context loss during demos and onboarding.
Community spaces remain an untapped resource, with one in three practitioners ranking them highly effective for adoption. However, their use is on par with static video tutorials, indicating underinvestment in this area. Similarly, proofs of concept are acknowledged as impactful but are underutilised in pre-sales activities.
A significant operational gap rather than a product gap is identified as a major barrier to AI adoption. The report points out that marketing, sales, and education teams often work in silos, each crafting separate demonstrations and onboarding materials.
Instruqt’s platform is used by companies like Google Cloud Security to enhance AI training experiences, demonstrating the increasing demand for immersive learning environments. The comprehensive report is available at instruqt.com/ai-adoption.
Last updated: 29 June 2026, 11:56 am
