Trend Trend 1: software is written on platforms where generative models do the building

Summary

Gartner's first trend describes development platforms that use generative AI to produce software more quickly and easily than before. The range runs from one-shot tools that turn one prompt into an application, through so-called vibe coding tools that let people without deep technical skills build software, to groups of orchestrated AI agents that build software together. Chief information officers welcome faster delivery and productivity, while chief executives and finance chiefs see potential cost savings. Gartner argues these platforms let tiny teams deliver a larger number of applications without extra resources, for example five two-person teams shipping five applications at once. It forecasts that by 2030 most organisations will shrink large engineering teams and that custom AI-built applications will make up 40% of enterprise portfolios.