Embrace, Enhance, Empower: How AI is revolutionising software development
By Richard Davies (pictured), Director, Strategic Customers (APAC) at OutSystems
Australia’s digital workforce is rapidly evolving, reflecting the country’s commitment to embracing technological innovation and driving economic growth. The Australian Government recently announced $101.2 million to support businesses to integrate quantum and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies into their operations. With a robust focus on digital skills development, the Australian workforce is increasingly characterised by its proficiency in areas such as data analysis, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and software development. This dynamic shift not only enhances productivity but also positions Australia as a competitive player in the global tech landscape.
Australia is currently facing a significant tech skills shortage, with demand for skilled professionals far outstripping supply. Addressing this skills gap is crucial for sustaining Australia’s digital economy and maintaining its competitive edge globally. With the mounting tech skills shortage, AI will be instrumental in helping organisations bridge the talent gap by reducing the workload of technical teams. This is especially relevant in software development, where AI can unlock new levels of efficiency and productivity. As such, it is imperative to foster a deeper understanding of the following ways AI is revolutionising enterprise software, and what lies on the horizon for this promising technology.
Enhancing software quality with automation and speed
Software development has traditionally been a labour-intensive process requiring meticulous planning, coding, testing, and deployment. However, with the rise of AI technology, software developers can now leverage advanced tools to automate time-consuming tasks, identify bugs, and optimise code performance.
For instance, AI-based code review systems have the capability to analyse code snippets to identify potential errors or inefficiencies and suggest optimisations in real-time, leading to cleaner and more efficient codes. This effectively speeds up the software development process while simultaneously enhancing overall software quality, enabling developers to divert their focus on the strategic and creative aspects of their work.
Bolstering DevOps practices
Coined over a decade ago, DevOps, a combination of software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops), transformed the field of software development and paved the way for collaborative and streamlined software development processes commonly adopted today. This has enabled faster responses to market changes and customer feedback, driving business agility and innovation. And now, with the integration of AI, it presents yet another pivotal shift in software development.
AI-powered DevOps tools can automate various tasks like testing, deployment, and monitoring, resulting in faster, more reliable, and less error-prone continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines. This allows teams to roll out software updates and new features more smoothly, reducing downtime and enhancing the user experience. Moreover, AI-driven software development platforms can also interpret everyday conversational language, simplifying the creation of documentation, user manuals, and communication with stakeholders during each software release.
The capabilities of AI also extend to security. When incorporating security into DevOps environments, AI-powered tools can help detect unusual patterns and respond to cyber threats in real-time by monitoring system logs, user interactions, and performance metrics. This proactive approach significantly improves overall software security.
An advanced AI-driven software development platform can scan code in near real-time to identify vulnerabilities as the code is being created, which greatly enhances security throughout the development lifecycle. This is a proactive measure, which reduces the burden on threat monitoring and cloud security solutions down the line, as there will be fewer ‘weak points’ in an application that could present potential risks.
Cost and time savings with GenAI
There is no doubt that GenAI is the up-and-coming technology that has caught the eye of many businesses – and for good reason.
For software developers, GenAI offers the ability to automatically generate complex code, code snippets, design patterns, and algorithms. This not only reduces the manual effort involved in repetitive tasks but also accelerates the overall development process. According to a McKinsey study, GenAI can double the speed of both developer tasks and code functionality documentation, attesting to its capability in supercharging efficiency and productivity. Furthermore, the study findings delineated that with GenAI, writing new code can be done in half the usual time, while code optimisation can be completed in about two-thirds of the time typically required.
AI’s rapid evolution is reshaping the software landscape, and the adoption of AI-powered tools is poised for significant growth within the next few years. Gartner predicts that by 2027, a staggering 70% of professional developers are expected to leverage AI-driven coding tools, a massive jump from today’s usage, which is less than 10%.
Glimpsing through the AI crystal ball
The transformative opportunities of AI are vast, especially when it comes to addressing the challenges developers face. However, it is crucial to recognise that embracing AI in enterprise ecosystems is not just about enhancing current processes – it also incites a rethinking of the way businesses function in a constantly evolving digital world.
With that in mind, it is imperative to create an environment that fosters safe experimentation and innovation, with strict internal governance around the use of specific tools. Legal sign-off is also an important consideration, especially as local laws and regulations continue to solidify.
AI has the ability to power innovation, create new business models, boost autonomous processes, and enhance security – all of which are crucial factors for businesses striving to set themselves apart from their competitors and maintain a positive bottom line. The potential applications of AI in software development are limitless, and far-sighted business leaders must embrace its potential to set the essential groundwork to thrive in an increasingly saturated market. It is important for a business to create an AI-first approach with clear goals in mind, and work towards outcomes that have a positive impact right across the organisation.
By taking an AI-first approach to software development, organisations can unlock new levels of human potential, driving progress and breakthroughs across the board.
