AI trends to redefine low-code development by 2025

The C-suite leaders at Mendix, a Siemens business, have shared their predictions on AI trends expected to impact the low-code development landscape in 2025.

According to Mendix, low-code development platforms will play a significant role in Southeast Asia's digital economy, which has seen consistent growth recently. Analysts anticipate that by the end of 2025, 70% of enterprise applications will be built using low-code, especially as advancements in AI enable further digital transformation for enterprises in the region.

Mendix CEO Ray Kok predicts that generative AI will signal the decline of no-code development, which requires no human input or critical thinking. "GenAI will make it obsolete as it's proliferating at a rapid rate," he noted. This anticipated shift will reevaluate the software development lifecycle, with model-based software development becoming the norm for enterprise applications.

Kok added that injecting AI into coding solutions will reduce the need for manual interventions, "In this world, the value of human intellectual brilliance and cross-functional collaboration to turn around digital transformation initiatives will grow dramatically."

Hans de Visser, Chief Product Officer at Mendix, discussed ensuring a positive return on investment (ROI) from AI solutions. "Generative AI (GenAI) can be a runaway train due to its, at times, unpredictable nature." He advised that enterprises must assess AI's value, such as cost savings from automating processes. De Visser foresees that in 2025, an increasing number of customers will scrutinise AI's ROI and governance, leading to new solutions to improve visibility and resource optimisation.

Nick Ford, Chief Growth Officer at Mendix, highlighted the emergence of agentic AI as a means for developers to tackle challenging tasks. "Agents are becoming a first-class medium," Ford explained. He suggests that agent-free developers focus on more complex and critical business aspects, expecting the return of composability in 2025 as developers take on the role of composers.

This shift in responsibilities means "users will become supervisors, watching the work that AI agents do in the background and intervening where necessary." Embracing agentic models, Ford believes, will democratise development, making it more accessible to those with deep business and industry knowledge.