The activity of the world's largest developer forum Stack Overflow has plummeted by 90%. Will it become a tear of the AI era?

Generative AI has entered the development process in a big way, and the 'Q&A model' that Stack Overflow relied on in the past has been hit hard, with the number of questions on the platform dropping back to levels seen in 2009. (Background: Berkeley professor warns: even top university graduates won't have job options! AI will cut half of entry-level positions in 5 years) (Additional context: Sam Altman writes about his true observations on AI for the future: the singularity will not explode but will quietly consume everything) Stack Overflow, known as the 'backyard' of programmers, the world's largest technical Q&A platform, is now facing a freeze under the wave of AI. According to the latest data, the number of new questions on the platform has plummeted, recording only about 20,000 new questions in May 2025, a decline of over 90% from the peak in April 2020, returning to levels seen at the platform's founding in 2009. This platform, once ranked among the top 50 websites globally with monthly traffic exceeding 100 million, is now being pushed to the margins by the wave of generative AI. Source: Pragmaticengineer AI Impact: Developers turn to instant answer tools Since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022, more and more developers are choosing AI tools (such as ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot) to solve programming problems instead of asking questions or searching for answers on Stack Overflow. Instantaneity: AI can quickly provide code answers or debugging suggestions without waiting for community responses. Convenience: Tools like GitHub Copilot are directly integrated into the development environment, significantly reducing reliance on external platforms. However, although it is not explicitly stated, it is expected that many AI models have trained using publicly available data from Stack Overflow without giving back to the platform, which raises ethical concerns. Nevertheless, while AI is a major driving force, the decline of Stack Overflow is not solely caused by AI. Since 2014, the platform has faced criticism for being 'unfriendly' due to strict review policies (such as closing duplicate questions or novice questions), leading to the loss of some users. Additionally, the rise of alternative platforms like GitHub Discussions and Reddit has also diverted some technical Q&A demands. Responding to the crisis: The transformation path of Stack Overflow In the face of survival challenges, Stack Overflow needs to actively seek transformation: Brand reshaping: In May 2025, Stack Exchange announced a rebranding attempt to redefine its value in the AI era. AI integration: Partnering with OpenAI to launch OverflowAI, aimed at incorporating AI technology into the platform to provide more immediate search and answer functionalities. Diversification of business models: Reducing dependence on public Q&A through Stack Overflow for Teams (enterprise internal version), advertising, and recruitment services. However, the developer community generally believes that mere rebranding or AI integration is unlikely to reverse the situation, as the convenience of AI tools has already taken root. Will Stack Overflow become a tear of the times? Let's continue to watch. Related reports Eric Trump, Trump's second son, denies joining the new company Tron for a reverse merger, SRM Entertainment's stock price skyrocketed 533% overnight. In the niche AI race overseas, 'raising $100 million', how does Laurel analyze temporal causality? As the whole world rushes into AI, why is Apple still standing still? "The activity of the world's largest developer forum Stack Overflow has plummeted by 90%. Will it become a tear of the AI era?" This article was first published on BlockTempo (the most influential blockchain news media).