Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant prospect for developers—it’s fast becoming a cornerstone of software development across Asia-Pacific. A new Salesforce report reveals that four in five software development leaders see AI agents as indispensable to the future of app development, equating them with traditional software tools in importance.
Despite previous notions that developers may resist AI, the latest findings suggest the opposite. Enthusiasm is surging in the region, with 70% of APAC developers believing AI agents will accelerate application development and boost productivity.
The report draws on responses from over 2,000 software development leaders globally, including 587 from the Asia-Pacific region. These include professionals from Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand, surveyed between December 2024 and February 2025.
Low-code and no-code platforms are emerging as pivotal in this shift. These tools are not only making it easier for developers of all experience levels to create AI agents, but also helping to democratise access to AI development.
In APAC, 86% of developers already working with agentic AI are doing so using low-code/no-code tools. A further 79% believe these platforms will democratise AI development, while 85% agree they are essential to scaling AI capabilities across teams.
Yet, as adoption rises, challenges remain. A significant 85% of developers say their organisations must modernise infrastructure to effectively build and deploy AI agents. Nearly half express concerns about data quality and accuracy, which they say are insufficient to support agentic AI development. Similarly, 45% note gaps in their testing processes, highlighting the need for more robust systems.
Skills are another sticking point. While over 80% agree that AI fluency will soon be a standard requirement for developers, more than half (51%) don’t yet feel adequately prepared for this shift. Respondents called for greater support in upskilling—especially around technical AI training—and the need to redefine roles in line with evolving responsibilities.
“Low-code/no-code tools allow developers of all skill levels to build and deploy agents, lowering barriers to entry and scaling AI development for the better,” said Gavin Barfield, VP and CTO of Solutions at Salesforce in ASEAN.
Barfield added that AI agents free developers from routine coding tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic work such as architecture and problem-solving. “This transition from output to business impact is being powered by solutions like Agentforce that make writing, reviewing and optimising code faster, easier and more efficient than ever before.”
“The impact of AI agents on the industry is undeniable, and the best time for organisations to invest in empowering developers with the right skills, resources and infrastructure is right now,” he concluded.
