The advent of GenAI in application development has brought unparalleled opportunities for innovation and efficiency. However, without a cohesive strategy, introducing AI tools into development processes can quickly spiral into chaos. This article explores how to leverage GenAI effectively without creating security, scalability and performance issues.
The Reality of GenAI Integration
As organisations seek to harness GenAI, it is crucial to understand the industry landscape.
- AI Integration: According to McKinsey & Company, integrating AI tools with existing systems remains a top challenge for many organisations, often resulting in disrupted workflows and inefficiencies.
- Management Complexity: 68% of Australian developers struggle with managing multiple AI tools simultaneously, leading to decreased productivity.
- Regulatory Concerns: 39% of Australian and 41% of New Zealand enterprises cite regulatory concerns as a major challenge when implementing generative AI.
- Ethical Issues: 28% of Australian businesses consider AI bias and ethical concerns significant hurdles.
Despite these concerns, 86% of organisations anticipate some form of AI assistance in their application development within the next two years, indicating the critical role AI is expected to play.
Challenges of Uncoordinated GenAI Adoption
Incorporating GenAI into application development comes with challenges. The haphazard addition of AI tools can lead to fragmented systems, increased costs, and extended project timelines.
Complexity and Cost
Integrating different AI tools across various stages of development can complicate processes, adding layers of complexity that require specialised skills and resources. AI tools such as CoPilot or JetBrains not only come with subscription fees but also necessitate hiring or training skilled personnel, thereby inflating budgets.
Governance and Compliance
Ensuring compliance with evolving regulations demands additional roles, complicating management and oversight. Without a unified governance framework, organisations risk non-compliance and face legal repercussions. Furthermore, public AI tools pose significant security risks, as they may expose sensitive data or incorporate unverified code, similar to leaving confidential information unprotected.
Consistency and Time
Team members' use of diverse AI tools can lead to inconsistent outcomes, making standardisation difficult. This approach can slow down application development and ultimately lead to fragmented systems that decreases productivity.
Skilled Resources and Tool Evaluation
The shortage of skilled professionals in the AI domain means that teams adopting an ad hoc approach to AI tools require extensive training on each, consuming valuable time and resources. Organisations may need to hire new staff or face resistance to adoption from existing employees. Moreover, the continuous assessment and selection of rapidly evolving AI tools can disrupt workflows and focus.
Unlocking AI’s Full Potential with OutSystems
Amid the complexities of AI integration, the OutSystems AI-powered low-code platform provides a comprehensive solution for organisations aiming to leverage AI without the associated chaos. With OutSystems, you can adopt a unified platform approach to address all your generative AI needs. This enables IT leaders to implement a strategic and coordinated plan that minimises risks while accelerating digital transformation and fostering innovation.
The OutSystems Advantage
The OutSystems platform provides a comprehensive suite of AI-assisted tools and features designed to enhance application development and deliver transformative experiences:
- AI-assisted visual development: Combines low-code with AI to boost developer productivity.
- Small teams without specialist AI skills: No training or hiring of specialist AI skills required.
- AI-assisted full-stack development: In addition to coding, the platform generates data models, business rules and UI with Machine Learning (ML).
- High customisability: No lock in. You can modify the generated code across UI, logic, data structures and integrations at a granular level.
- AI-assistance throughout the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC): An AI Mentor embeds AI assistance in every stage of the SDLC, from coding, architecture, security, performance, and maintenance.
- AI-assistance throughout the whole life of your app: Employs AI beyond coding to help you holistically build, enhance and maintain your apps in a single environment.
- AI Agents: An AI Agent Builder makes it easily build GenAI Agents within your OutSystems apps and scale.
- Secure by design: Fully SOC2 Type II compliant, eliminating the security risks associated with AI.
- Transparency: Ensures AI-generated code is performed correctly and complies with your company’s best practices
- Access to multiple AI models: Provides seamless access to Amazon Bedrock, Open AI, Chat GPT models.
- Prebuilt connectors to common AI services from Microsoft, Google, and Amazon: Allows easy integration with ready-made AI services to develop chatbots, Q&A, text generation, and other use cases with ease.
Tangible Results with OutSystems
By leveraging the OutSystems platform, savvy organisations are already unlocking the full potential of AI, delivering impactful solutions that drive innovation and competitive advantage.
72% of companies report accelerated app delivery speed using OutSystems
40% of OutSystems developers use AI Mentor powered suggestions
10 million code issues detected in one year
36,000 security vulnerabilities fixed in one year
OutSystems empowers IT leaders to build and scale business-critical applications faster than ever, transforming the way they operate and engage with customers.
Get Strategic About GenAI with OutSystems
The integration of AI into application development is a journey that requires careful planning, strategic alignment, and a focus on security and compliance. By avoiding the pitfalls of uncoordinated AI adoption, organisations can harness the power of AI to drive innovation and achieve their business objectives.
With the OutSystems AI-powered platform, IT leaders have a partner that empowers them to navigate the complexities of AI integration, delivering transformative solutions that create lasting impact. Embrace the future of application development with OutSystems, where innovation meets impact, and unlock the true potential of AI for your organisation. Talk to us
