OutSystems, an internationally recognised leader in low-code application development, has recently shared insights on how generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and low-code development are set to evolve in 2024. The company's Chief Information Officer (CIO), Tiago Azevedo, has indicated four key trends for 2024 for business transformation heads, developer managers, IT leaders, and CIOs to keep an eye on.

Azevedo predicts that businesses will need to equip their developers with low-code and Generative AI skills to help them ride the wave of disruption. In 2024, it is expected that developers will make use of both low-code and generative AI to build, test, and update applications with remarkable speed. He points out that the security and privacy concerns associated with public AI models are effectively dealt with by the built-in guardrails of low-code platforms, allowing developer teams to focus on long-term projects that yield the most value to the business.

Further insights show that customer-facing roles are likely to see the fastest impact from Generative AI. Organisations will use generative AI's rapid effects on innovation and business value to their best advantage. Productivity in front-office roles, such as customer service agents and sales representatives, should see a significant boost with the assistance of automation tools facilitated by generative AI. Such AI-driven tools will help streamline processes, anticipate needs, and allow agents to provide smarter and more personalised customer interactions with improved resolution times.

The CIO also predicted that cloud-native, low-code development would help businesses to bounce back from the economic challenges faced in 2023. He expects more mid-sized businesses will adopt cloud-native technology for infrastructure and application development in 2024. This shift is aimed at meeting ever-increasing demands for scale, cost reduction, and easy management. According to Azevedo, "More and more customers will expect a personalised experience at every step of their journey, including customer onboarding, self-service, and e-commerce. Cloud-native development enables organisations to rapidly and securely bring ideas on how to improve the customer experience to fruition."

Azevedo points out that low-code will continue to break down communication barriers between developers and business leaders. Low-code platforms present code in a visual and straightforward manner, making it possible for software teams to easily demonstrate their work. He stated that this will "create better collaboration and alignment on goals across the organisation’s business and tech teams in the new year."

While generative AI adoption rises within the developer community, the biggest productivity gains can be expected when this technology is used hand-in-hand with low-code. By 2028, an estimated 75% of enterprise software engineers will utilise AI coding assistants, a significant increase from less than 10% in early 2023, according to Gartner. Organisations are encouraged to invest in upskilling and reskilling programs to properly prepare developers for the increasing value of AI skills and allow them to adjust to new AI tools in their workflows.

OutSystems plans to hold an expert-led webinar on the 13th of February. It will feature key enterprise IT and software development trend predictions for 2024 and beyond.