Most Software Executives Plan Custom AI Agents to Drive Change
New research reveals that 93% of software executives are either planning to develop or already developing custom AI agents within their organisations. This marks a clear shift as companies adopt agentic AI to transform software development and business operations.
The report, “Navigating Agentic AI & Generative AI in Software Development: Human-Agent Collaboration is Here,” commissioned by OutSystems with CIO Dive and KPMG, surveyed 550 global software executives. It examines AI’s growing influence on the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and the workplace.
AI’s Role in Software Development
Facing tighter budgets and performance demands, IT leaders increasingly deploy agentic AI to tackle challenges like fragmented toolsets and siloed data. Companies report that AI helps automate workflows, deliver personalised digital services, and innovate faster—all while ensuring compliance, security, and governance.
Woodson Martin, CEO of OutSystems, explains, “The software development lifecycle is undergoing significant change as organizations increase AI investments to stay competitive. AI integrated with development tools lets IT leaders manage this shift securely and efficiently. Soon, AI agents will act as specialized teams that continuously monitor business needs, identify opportunities, and refine software proactively. This allows developers and business leaders to focus more on creativity and strategy.”
Among survey respondents:
- Over two-thirds reported increased developer productivity and better software quality with fewer bugs.
- 62% noted improved scalability in development processes.
- 60% observed enhanced efficiency in testing and quality assurance.
Workforce Implications
Experimentation with agentic AI is expected to accelerate organisational change over the next 24 months. About 69% of software executives anticipate AI will create new specialised roles such as oversight, governance, prompt engineering, agent architecture, and orchestration to support AI’s evolving function.
Additionally, 63% of respondents predict a need for significant upskilling or reskilling of current teams to keep pace with emerging AI demands.
Where AI Agents Are Being Deployed
Currently, 46% of executives say their organisations already integrate agentic AI into workflows, with another 28% in pilot phases. The top area for AI agent use is customer support, where 49% plan to automate customer inquiries and support functions.
This focus on customer service is ahead of other areas like product development (38%), sales and marketing (32%), supply chain management (28%), human resources (24%), and finance and accounting (23%).
Drivers and Risks of AI Adoption
Key motivations for adopting AI include:
- Improving customer experience (56%)
- Automating repetitive tasks (55%)
- Speeding up software development (54%)
- Supporting wider digital transformation goals (53%)
However, challenges remain. Governance, security, and compliance concerns affect 64% of executives. An equal number worry about AI’s transparency and reliability. The rise of multiple AI tools has also created oversight difficulties and increased technical debt, with 44% identifying AI sprawl as a growing risk.
Building Confidence in AI Tools
Michael Harper, Managing Director at KPMG LLP, notes, “Many organisations started with pilots over a year ago and are now seeing real efficiency gains in code generation and application testing. These successes build confidence and help companies move forward with AI.”
The survey included executives from diverse sectors such as IT consultancy, manufacturing, banking, financial services, and insurance, across the US, UK, Japan, France, Canada, Australia, India, and Germany.
For executives interested in expanding AI capabilities within their teams, exploring focused training on AI tools and prompt engineering can be essential. Resources like Complete AI Training’s prompt engineering courses offer practical pathways to build relevant skills.
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