Understanding the Landscape
A recent survey of 1,666 IT professionals reveals a significant push towards application development. With 74% planning to create ten or more applications in the next year, the industry is poised for rapid growth. Nearly half of the respondents aim to build 25 or more applications, highlighting a shift in focus towards innovative solutions. The survey, conducted by Centient for OutSystems, also shows that external-facing applications are prioritized by 47% of organizations, indicating a trend towards customer-centric development.
Key Insights
- 40% of respondents claim new apps constitute 51% to 100% of their projects.
- Nearly half (49%) of those focusing on external applications use a mix of traditional and generative AI coding.
- 88% are experimenting with generative AI for application development, with 19% seeing it as essential.
- Despite high interest, only 31% have fully integrated AI into their development practices.
- Major challenges include security (62%) and a shortage of skilled professionals (45%).
The Bigger Picture
The growing reliance on generative AI tools aims to enhance developer productivity and performance. However, integration challenges remain, particularly with legacy systems, which 42% of respondents identify as the primary barrier to innovation. As organizations face increasing demands for new applications, the use of low-code tools is likely to rise, enabling non-developers to contribute. The future hinges on balancing the flexibility of AI with the structured nature of existing workflows to achieve scalable success in application deployment.
