While modern applications are essential to today’s digital landscape, businesses are encountering a shortage of developers and skills. The demand for highly skilled software developers continues to grow, with research indicating that almost 200,000 developer jobs will need filling each year through the end of the decade. Amidst this challenge, GenAI comes as a solution to accelerate the software development lifecycle, including increased productivity and reduced time spent on creating test cases.
GenAI in software development use cases
As software-led innovation becomes crucial for companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors, the rapid adoption of GenAI across the software development lifecycle can significantly enhance enterprises' transformation potential.
Code generation and documentation
Generative AI can automate code documentation by generating comprehensive explanations from code comments and structure to make maintaining and understanding codebases easier. Additionally, genAI can create code snippets or entire functions based on natural language inputs, allowing developers to translate their ideas into executable code more efficiently. According to McKinsey, generative AI-based tools significantly enhance the speed of common developer tasks. Specifically, documenting code functionality and writing new codes can be completed in 50% less time.
Legacy app modernization
Application modernization is a critical priority for their organization's success, with 78% of organizations using or planning to use AI to support their application modernization efforts. Thus, GenAI tools can streamline the refactoring of legacy applications by employing advanced algorithms to analyze existing codebases. These tools can identify inefficiencies, suggest improvements, and automatically generate updated code that adheres to modern programming standards. Moreover, this automation reduces the manual effort required for refactoring, allowing development teams to focus on higher-value tasks. According to IDC, by 2027, enterprises can automate and execute up to 75% of code conversion and development tasks.
Natural language programming
GenAI can interpret and translate human language commands into executable code, allowing developers and even non-technical business users to describe functionalities and requirements in plain language. IDC predicted that genAI will enable developers to create 55% of net-new applications using natural language by 2028. This accessibility can alleviate the shortage of skilled developers by empowering more individuals within an organization to participate in the development process.
Automated testing
GenAI can generate comprehensive test cases based on application specifications, historical data, and user behavior patterns. This automation reduces the reliance on manual testing, which is often time-consuming and prone to human error. By 2028, GenAI-based tools are expected to autonomously write up to 80% of software tests, utilizing machine learning and data analysis to determine what needs testing and how to execute those tests effectively. With enhanced test coverage and improved software usability, organizations can deliver higher-quality products faster and reduce time to market.
CodeVista - The new partner for software developers
With recent advancements in GenAI for software development, FPT Software's AI Center developed CodeVista - an AI-powered tool for automated code generation. This tool provides a conversational coding experience within integrated development environments (IDEs) that can address security and functionality concerns related to third-party AI coding tools. CodeVista enables business leaders and tech managers to monitor AI usage in development and understand how their teams interact with the technology.
Within FPT Software, CodeVista is commonly used as an internal tool for software development. With advanced AI capabilities from OpenAI's GPT and Google's Gemini models, CodeVista ensures private and secure access, hosting and fine-tuning powerful open-source AI models on its servers. It also allows users to index their codebase for context-rich assistance and semantic code search. Additionally, by integrating Docify, FPT Software's AI-assisted code documentation tool, the company can combine code generation, documentation, and explanations into one product.
How CodeVista can bring values to enterprises
Powered by GenAI, CodeVista provides developers with advanced tools that simplify coding processes. This platform provides developers real-time knowledge, comprehensive documentation, and contextual recommendations to enhance coding efficiency and accuracy.
CodeVista goes beyond in-context and codebase-level support, contributing to developer productivity across a wide range of programming scenarios at the Project Level. At its highest level, CodeVista functions as a collaborative assistant that operates within the scope of an entire software project. It integrates with various project management, communication, and documentation tools, offering a comprehensive view of the project’s status and enabling developers to work more effectively as a team. CodeVista, with its ability to comprehend large codebases, will assist developers in quickly understanding the code, reverse engineering, and identifying components for migration.
As coders usually spend 35% of their time managing code, including code maintenance (19%) and testing (12%), CodeVista can expedite development time by 48%. This automation allows teams to bring products to market more quickly. By focusing on security, the tool can ease businesses' concerns about using third-party tools and provide a more secure development environment.
Supercharge your digital businesses with generative AI
As companies strive to maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, generative AI is expected to become a transformative force, revolutionizing every aspect of business operations. The strategic and well-planned adoption of GenAI throughout the software development lifecycle can significantly enhance an organization's innovation potential, operational efficiency, and overall business outcomes.
Discover how enterprises can strategically leverage GenAI to optimize software development, accelerate innovation, and thrive in today’s digital-first economy with the latest whitepaper, "Leveraging GenAI to Supercharge Your Digital Business."
