Combining Low-Code and GenAI for App Delivery
For too long, IT teams have been bogged down by projects deemed “too complex,” “too costly,” or simply “impossible.” But, AI and advancements in low-code platforms are breaking down those barriers. They are making it easier to tackle ambitious initiatives like complex legacy modernization, mission-critical application development, and seamless digital transformation. As a result, 2025 marks a turning point—more coding will be done with AI assistance and low-code than without.
OutSystems recently surveyed nearly 1,700 IT professionals worldwide to understand how these tools have transformed the application development landscape. In this blog, we'll explore some of the key findings. For a deeper dive, check out the full State of Application Development Report, which covers everything IT leaders need to know to embrace these top app development trends for 2025.
Table of contents:
Trend 1: New innovation is the priority
Enterprises are using their available IT resources to build new apps, with 40% of respondents reporting that new apps comprise 51%-100% of all projects.
While the full report reveals the top priority use cases, it also shows that IT teams are tackling more than one simultaneously. This includes building internal applications and core systems. For these reasons, flexible development platforms that can support multiple app types and create limitless UX customization are a must.
Trend 2: GenAI moves from experimental to essential
Survey respondents agree: The future of applications is driven by generative AI (GenAI). An overwhelming majority (88%) of IT leaders told us they’ve at least “tested the waters” of GenAI-powered apps.
Still, while some respondents tell us that GenAI is essential to their company’s app development strategy, many others are in their earliest stages. The key to success is overcoming the challenges, including a shortage of developers with the skills to embed GenAI in apps and concerns about security and compliance.
Trend 3: AI-driven productivity tools accelerate app development
GenAI isn’t just embedded in the apps that development teams deliver today. It’s also a tool IT teams use to enhance the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC). In fact, 31% of IT teams say AI-assisted development is already an integral part of their application development strategies.
In the full report, we explore AI-assisted coding along with the multiple challenges IT teams must overcome, such as technical debt accumulation and worries about governance and control over AI-generated code.
Trend 4: Low-code delivers better efficiency and predictability
When looking at low-code trends in software development, our survey reveals widespread adoption, with 88% of respondents saying they have at least some low-code projects underway. But what’s even more impressive is the way enterprises rely on low-code to deliver their most critical app builds on time and on budget. Survey data revealed improvements in productivity and predictability when comparing low-code to traditional code.
Beyond productivity, low-code enables development teams to speed time-to-market, improve developer productivity, and update existing applications easier.
Trend 5: Complex legacy modernization is made simpler by emerging technologies
Modernization is the path to greater innovation. Yet in the past, as organizations began preparing for digital transformation projects, they often lacked a clearly defined roadmap to reach their destination. Now—thanks to AI and low-code—those formerly “impossible” projects are achievable.
Even better, those “impossible” projects don’t have to be expensive; 55% of survey respondents say low-code helps them modernize more cost-effectively.
The State of Application Development Report: See the bigger picture
We’ve just scratched the surface of emerging trends in application development. Go deeper in the full 2025 State of Application Development report, where you’ll learn top GenAI use cases, the full impact of low-code on development, the state of AI integration within specific parts of the SDLC, and much more.
