How AI is transforming software development

How AI is transforming software development

Much has been said and written about generative AI (GenAI) since the technology suddenly broke through to the general public following the November 2022 launch of ChatGPT. But as with most new technology, it takes time to understand what we can use (or misuse) tools for. For software developers, GenAI also offers a host of new possibilities that significantly improve the quality of products and work.

Everywhere we see great examples of situations where the cooperation between humans and AI leads to better results than what they can achieve separately. This is certainly true for programming and software development. It’s a sector that creates a lot of value for users courtesy of the automation of manual and repetitive tasks. But ironically, until recently, for solution developers, this actually involved a lot of manual work.

Writing and maintaining code with GenAI

Consider writing boilerplate code. This is a relatively simple and standardized process to go through when developing a new product or feature. It certainly doesn’t make a developer’s heart beat faster. Therefore, it seems quite suitable for a Large Language Model (LLM) that, with the help of machine learning, is able to recognize both linguistic and numerical patterns. Then, such a model can generate boilerplate code on its own. The whole process is thus automated, giving developers time for more valuable tasks.

AI tools also assist developers with other cumbersome and time-consuming processes, such as debugging code. Moreover, they often make good suggestions for fixing bugs. In addition, they offer help with writing tests and documentation, which is crucial for maintaining quality and extending the life of the code.

Benefits of AI in software development

Visma employs about 4,500 software developers who create mission-critical software. They eagerly use technology to continuously improve and streamline processes. Here are some insights around the use of AI that came out of this:

  • AI increases efficiency: 85% of developers notice that their work is more efficient since they started using the AI tools available. Some even state that they develop code up to 50% faster than before.
  • AI leads to better products: greater efficiency allows for a stronger focus on the quality of the products developers support – without the need to hire new people. Additional AI functionality also allows users of the software to automate more tasks and get more value out of technology.
  • AI makes work more enjoyable: teams that started working with AI tools first show greater job satisfaction and professional growth. So AI also has a positive impact on both productivity and commitment among employees.

Developer needs to reinvent itself

While AI tools help streamline development processes, it is of course important not to lose sight of code quality and security. After all, code generated by AI is not always more secure or reliable than code generated by a human developer. It should therefore be treated as a suggestion rather than an absolute solution.

So staying vigilant is important, but that does not take away from the fact that the possibilities of AI continue to grow. In the long run, it should even be possible to significantly speed up technological modernizations – such as migrating from old to new technology – using AI and make them a lot safer.

As AI continues to mature, developers must also reinvent themselves. With the rapid development of LLMs such as ChatGPT and other commercial AI tools, there will be less demand for developers who are only good at coding. On the contrary, there will be more demand for “product engineers. Those who understand customer needs, product strategy and how to use AI effectively will be best equipped to develop the innovative solutions of the future.


This is a submitted contribution from Alexander Lystad, CTO at Visma. Click here to learn more about the SaaS solutions the company offers.