Developers Embrace AI Agents as Essential Tools for Career Advancement and Productivity

Developers are pretty optimistic about AI agents

Salesforce, a company that's diving head-first into the world of artificial intelligence and agentic AI, has new research suggesting that nearly all (96%) developers from a global survey are enthusiastic about the technology's impact on their careers. More than nine in 10 (92%) specifically highlighted how AI agents could help them advance in their jobs, with AI now being seen as essential as traditional software tools by four-fifths of UK and Ireland developers. In a blog post, the company wrote: "The arrival of agentic AI provides developers with the opportunity to focus less on tasks like writing code and debugging and grow into more strategic, high-impact work." While many early concerns around artificial intelligence threatening human workers continue to be vocalized, it's clear that AI is set to revolutionize programming for the better by democratizing access to more powerful tools, improving efficiency and making careers in the sector more accessible to more workers - helping to plug the ongoing skills gap. Some common use cases for AI include code generation, where developers can spend more time editing and tweaking elements of the code than writing it, and the optimization of existing code. "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," noted Alice Steinglass, EVP and GM for Platform, Integration and Automation at Salesforce. Now, around four in five developers who use AI agents already use low- and no-code tools (78% in the UK, 79% in Ireland), with just as many believing that low- and no-code tools have the power to democratize AI development (80% in the UK, 78% in Ireland). Other commonly anticipated improvements include application development speed and efficiency, increased quality, creativity and problem solving. Programmers are now urging their organizations to upgrade their infrastructure to support AI agents, however there are some all-too-familiar hurdles to overcome first. More than two in five (47% in the UK, 42% in Ireland) say that poor data quality is a barrier for AI implementation.

How do software development leaders feel about Agentic AI?

The New State of IT report from Salesforce has highlighted that many organisations are excited to find a 'new use' for AI. Agentic AI is beginning to crop up more and more as not only a useful tool but a critical one for organisations as they navigate the ever-changing working world. Defined as the technology that powers AI agents so they can act autonomously without human oversight, a core focus for agentic AI is in creating a framework that allows companies to simplify AI development and deployment. US-based cloud software company Salesforce recently released the State of IT report, which has shown that a wide range of organisations, leaders and developers are excited about agentic AI's prospects and its potential to positively impact careers. Salesforce surveyed more than 2,000 people in IT decision-making roles, from 25 different countries including Ireland, the US, the UK, Australia, Germany, Singapore and the UAE, as well as nearly 250 frontline developers also from the US. A key figure to emerge indicated that, of those who responded, 92pc of developers in the UK and Ireland believe that agentic AI is key to career advancement. Significantly, 96pc of UK and Ireland participants expect that agentic AI is likely to reshape the developer experience, largely for the better, as new technologies tackle laborious, time-consuming tasks, leaving more time for high-value and rewarding work. Essential or nice to have? Nowadays, new and innovative technologies are being introduced into the workplace frequently and are sometimes not widely received as they may be seen as a passing or over-hyped fad, for example Google Glass tech. So far it appears that agentic AI is not moving in that direction, as 86pc of surveyed professionals based in Ireland said they believe AI agents will become as essential to app development as traditional software tools. Additionally they are enthusiastic about using it for oversight, optimisation and writing new code, in particular. More than half (56pc) of Irish developers who responded explained they predict AI agents will improve application development quality, with other areas such as creativity and problem-solving (54pc), business reliance and adaptability (50pc) and the employee experience (50pc) also improving by virtue of AI agent adoption. On a global scale, operational efficiency, strategic planning and a competitive advantage are also noted as being potential areas for change. Hiring Now Invent. Impact. Inspire. Dare to make a difference Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together Think for impact with Liberty IT. Delivering global software solutions "AI agents are revolutionising the way developers work, making software development faster, more efficient, and more enjoyable," said Alice Steinglass, the EVP and GM for platform, integration and automation at Salesforce. "This powerful digital workforce streamlines development by assisting with writing, reviewing, and optimising code, unlocking new levels of productivity. 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." Infrastructure needs According to the report, the rising popularity of agentic AI comes at a time when a large proportion of developers are looking to measure their productivity based on impact, rather than output. By introducing new technologies, there will be more opportunities for professionals still developing their skills. For example, low-code/no-code tools can enable developers to work effectively and quickly even if they are lacking in coding skills. With 79pc of Irish respondents utilising such technologies, there is a belief that this will work towards democratising AI development, as it widens the net for people of all skill-levels looking to improve and excel. With that in mind, changes to infrastructure will be critical to maximising opportunities for organisations and the individual. In Ireland, 85pc of those surveyed are of the opinion that companies have to further develop their infrastructure if they are serious about building and deploying AI agents. Furthermore, nearly half (42pc) of Irish developers believe that the quality of data and its capacity for accuracy isn't sufficiently advanced enough for the successful development or implementation of agentic AI and 46pc say their testing processes aren't fully prepared to build or deploy. When it comes to skills and knowledge, nearly 70pc of participating developers based in Ireland have stated that AI education will soon be a baseline skill for their profession, despite 54pc of the opinion that their current skillsets are not fully prepared for the agentic era. Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news.