Will AI-Powered Developers Leapfrog Low Code?

Some organisations have indeed built hundreds—or even thousands—of citizen-developed applications. However, it's still unclear if these apps have delivered a net positive impact. I've personally seen a few citizen-built apps that made life easier for small admin teams, outperforming spreadsheets for specific tasks. Even so, in the examples I've observed, these apps often left significant business challenges unresolved, particularly around system integration and user experience.

My current thesis is that a human-centred approach to solving business process bottlenecks requires some level of training. Interestingly, I don't think this training is particularly technical—it's actually independent of coding skills. However, it's the kind of training that's often included in coding qualifications, like a computer science degree. I believe a subset of these skills is essential for addressing process bottlenecks with technology, whether through low code or traditional coding methods.

Recently, I've been following the journey of five young people who became productive (paid) developers in under six months from their first introduction to code. Their rapid progress has been powered by the latest AI tools, combined with expert training and guidance from experienced developers.

I'll write more about the journey these apprentices took another time, but the experience has sparked a question in my mind: which is better, low code or young AI-assisted developers? Based on what I've seen so far, I'm leaning strongly towards young AI-assisted developers. The solutions they build tend to address 90% of the business problem, compared to just 10%–20% for low code, which often struggles with integration and user experience limitations.

Over the next 12 months, I'll be watching closely to see whether the marketing machines of major low code vendors pick up speed or if these tools begin to fade into the background.

What’s your experience with low code platforms or AI-assisted developers? Have you seen either approach succeed (or fail) in your organisation?

Andrew Walker
Technology consulting for charities
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-walker-the-impatient-futurist/

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