Low-Code and No-Code Platforms Revamped Amid AI Priority Shift

The low-code and no-code market has already reached a significant milestone, with a global valuation of $13.2 billion. This sector is growing rapidly, at about 21% per year since 2019, as highlighted by Forrester analyst John Bratincevic. He attributes this expansion to the "institutionalization of low code within IT," noting that 87% of enterprise developers now use these platforms. Looking forward, Bratincevic predicts that the market could triple in size by 2030, thanks to the increasing involvement of citizen developers. He emphasizes, "The democratization of development to non-IT workers is unstoppable."

The integration of AI into these platforms is poised to propel the market even further, potentially reaching $50 billion within four years. AI could enhance the capabilities of citizen developers, according to Bratincevic. However, he also suggests that AI-enhanced development tools might make traditional coding so efficient that professional developers might return to full coding, stating, "AI-infused development platforms could make high coding so productive that professionals might reject low code."

Bratincevic believes the impact of AI on low- and no-code development will likely be a balanced growth, driven by AI's integration into these platforms. Yet, there are challenges, especially in developing AI applications with low-code tools. Rodrigo Coutinho, co-founder and AI lead at OutSystems, pointed out in an Amazon Web Services podcast that developing generative AI requires more than just basic skills. He noted, "The language used to develop gen AI isn't just English; you need to learn the specific dialect. You need engineering courses to communicate effectively with machines, even if the words are the same."

This language barrier could hinder the broader adoption of software development among non-professionals. Coutinho adds, "While it's not as complex as C# or JavaScript, it's still a language you need to master to develop effectively."

It's crucial to differentiate between AI-assisted development and low- and no-code platforms. Coutinho explains, "Generative AI has boosted productivity for traditional developers, but they still need to understand what they're doing. Even with AI handling much of the work, developers must be able to read, understand, adapt, and modify the code."

David Isbitski, principal developer advocate at Amazon Web Services, agrees that it's premature for inexperienced developers to use generative AI for app development. He stresses the importance of experience, saying, "Without programming knowledge, you don't know what you don't know. AI-assisted development requires not just technical skills but also an understanding of how code aligns with business processes."

Isbitski envisions AI as an empathetic assistant in development, capable of analyzing a developer's thought process. He describes the ideal AI assistant as one that "can understand how I wrote this code, what it will do, and how it's been enabled. It's like magic, ensuring everything is correct."

Moreover, Isbitski believes AI can enhance the context in which software is developed and deployed, noting, "As humans, we're aware of many factors like the day, the world's climate, which AI doesn't know. These factors are crucial for the output. Incorporating them into the development conversation is incredibly powerful."

The ultimate goal of AI-assisted development, according to Isbitski, is to foster learning and self-improvement among developers. He suggests, "Instead of just providing answers, AI should help people reach their own conclusions. It's a powerful teaching tool, reflecting our own capabilities."

Finally, AI-infused development could open new avenues for developers. Coutinho envisions a future where AI acts as an individual contributor, with developers taking on more of a leadership role, ensuring quality and meeting requirements. He concludes, "In this scenario, AI is the junior developer, and you are the team lead ensuring everything is on track."