The convergence of generative AI and web search is reshaping problem-solving for programmers. However, the lack of understanding regarding their interplay in the information-seeking process often leads programmers to perceive them as alternatives rather than complementary tools. To analyze this interaction and explore their synergy, we conducted an interview study with eight experienced programmers. Drawing from the results and literature, we have identified three major challenges and proposed three decision-making stages, each with its own relevant factors. Additionally, we present a comprehensive process model that captures programmers' interaction patterns. This model encompasses decision-making stages, the information-foraging loop, and cognitive activities during system interaction, offering a holistic framework to comprehend and optimize the use of these convergent tools in programming.

翻译：生成式AI与网络搜索的融合正在重塑程序员的解题方式。然而，由于对两者在信息寻求过程中的交互机制缺乏深入理解，程序员常将它们视为替代工具而非互补工具。为剖析这种交互关系并探索其协同效应，我们开展了包含八位资深程序员的访谈研究。结合研究结果与现有文献，我们识别出三大核心挑战，并提出包含三个决策阶段及其对应影响因素的分析框架。此外，我们构建了能完整描述程序员交互模式的过程模型，该模型涵盖了决策阶段、信息搜寻循环以及系统交互过程中的认知活动，为理解和优化这些融合工具在编程中的应用提供了整体性框架。