Developers worldwide are embracing AI agents in software development with overwhelming enthusiasm, according to research from Salesforce.
According to Salesforce’s latest State of IT survey, an impressive 96% of developers globally believe AI agents will positively reshape the developer experience, with more than nine in ten excited about AI’s impact on their careers.
Closer to home, the figures remain equally compelling, with over four in five developers in the UK and Ireland (UKI) predicting these AI agents will become indispensable tools in app development, rivaling traditional software resources.
AI agents catalyse a new era of software development
Far from the narrative of AI scepticism often attributed to developers, Salesforce’s research reveals high levels of optimism around integrating AI agents.
Agentic AI has the potential to free developers from mundane tasks such as code debugging and data cleaning, enabling them to redirect their skills toward more meaningful and strategic projects.
Alice Steinglass, EVP & GM of Platform, Integration, and Automation at Salesforce, explained: “AI agents are revolutionising the way developers work, making software development faster, more efficient, and more enjoyable.
“By automating tedious tasks like data cleaning, integration, and basic testing, AI agents free developers to shift their focus from manual coding to high-value problem-solving, architecture, and strategic decision-making.”
According to the survey, 92% of global developers now want their performance assessed by the impact of their work rather than sheer output. AI-powered agents are being seen as a way to move from repetitive tasks to high-impact challenges, such as AI oversight and architecting complex systems.
When surveyed on specific uses, UK developers showed a preference for leveraging AI agents to edit AI-generated code and collaborate with business stakeholders. In contrast, their Irish counterparts are particularly enthusiastic about using AI agents for code optimisation, oversight, and even writing new code entirely.
Low-code/no-code platforms are playing a pivotal role in democratising and accelerating AI development. These tools empower developers across all skill levels to build and deploy AI agents efficiently. In the UK, 78% of developers using agentic AI already employ low-code/no-code solutions, rising slightly to 79% in Ireland.
80% of UK developers and 78% of Irish developers see low-code/no-code platforms as instrumental in democratising access to AI development. Furthermore, 75% of UK respondents and 90% of Irish developers believe these platforms can help scale AI initiatives organisation-wide.
Secret Escapes, a luxury travel company, turned to Salesforce’s Agent Builder tools to enhance customer service operations. Within two weeks, developers at Secret Escapes built, tested, and launched an AI agent—a process that would have previously taken up to six months.
This dramatic reduction in development time allowed Secret Escapes to handle unique and last-minute customer requests more efficiently. Such examples illustrate the potential for AI agents to streamline workflows across industries, not just in traditional tech applications but also in travel, retail, and beyond.
Challenges in the agentic AI era
While excitement is high, many developers acknowledge the need for further resources and infrastructure upgrades to realise AI’s promise fully.
78% of UK developers and 84% of Irish developers said their organisations need updated infrastructure to build and deploy AI agents. Similarly, nearly half of respondents noted concerns around the quality and accuracy of their data—a critical factor for AI success.
Testing processes also emerged as a potential bottleneck, with 40% of UK and 46% of Irish developers reporting that their current systems aren’t fully prepared for AI agent implementation.
The skills gap is another challenge facing the industry. Although 81% of UK developers and 68% in Ireland believe AI knowledge will soon be a baseline skill for their profession, over half (51% in the UK and 54% in Ireland) admitted feeling insufficiently equipped to thrive in the agentic era.
Training on the technical aspects of AI and redefining traditional roles were highlighted as top priorities for organisations looking to support their development teams during this transition.
AI agents represent a generational shift in software development
This large-scale study, conducted among more than 2,000 software development leaders globally and supplemented with responses from 250 US-based frontline developers, arrives at a crucial turning point for the developer community. With 96% of developers enthusiastic about agentic AI’s impact and 92% seeing it as a valuable career booster, the momentum behind this movement is undeniable.
The report underscores a clear consensus: AI is no longer seen as a threat to jobs but rather a liberating tool that helps developers do their best, most impactful work. Low-code/no-code platforms further accelerate this evolution, making advanced AI developments possible regardless of an individual’s technical background.
As organisations invest in updating infrastructure and providing the necessary training, the agentic era could soon become a golden age for developers, enabling them to focus on delivering innovative solutions and driving business value.
See also: AI coding tools: Productivity gains, security pains
Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including Intelligent Automation Conference, BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.
Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.
