Global DevSecOps Report on AI Shows Cybersecurity and Privacy Concerns Create an Adoption Dilemma

GitLab survey finds organizations are optimistic about AI, but AI adoption requires attention to privacy and security, productivity, and training

• 83% of those surveyed said that implementing AI in their software development processes is essential to avoid falling behind, however 79% noted they are concerned about AI tools having access to private information or intellectual property

• 40% of all respondents cited security is already a key benefit of AI, but 40% of security professionals surveyed were concerned that AI-powered code generation will increase their workload

• 90% of participants reported using AI in software development or plan to, while 81% said they need more training to use AI in their work

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- All Remote – GitLab Inc., ​​the most comprehensive AI-powered DevSecOps platform, today announced its 9th Global DevSecOps Report: The State of AI in Software Development. GitLab surveyed more than 1,000 global senior technology executives, developers, and security and operations professionals on their successes, challenges, and priorities for AI adoption.

“The transformational opportunity with AI goes way beyond creating code,” said David DeSanto, chief product officer, GitLab. “According to the GitLab Global DevSecOps Report, only 25% of developers' time is spent on code generation, but the data shows AI can boost productivity and collaboration in nearly 60% of developers’ day-to-day work. To realize AI’s full potential, it needs to be embedded across the software development lifecycle, allowing everyone involved in delivering secure software, not just developers, to benefit from the efficiency boost. GitLab’s AI-powered DevSecOps platform delivers a privacy-first, single application to help teams deliver secure software faster.”

Key takeaways of the report are:

Data privacy, intellectual property, and security are top concerns
Although organizations are enthusiastic about implementing AI, data privacy and intellectual property are key priorities when adopting new tools.

• 95% of senior technology executives said they prioritize privacy and protection of intellectual property when selecting an AI tool
• 32% of respondents were "very" or "extremely" concerned about introducing AI into the software development lifecycle; of those:
  • 39% cited they are concerned that AI-generated code may introduce security vulnerabilities and 48% said they are concerned that AI-generated code may not be subject to the same copyright protection as human-generated code

Increased developer productivity may widen the existing divide between developers and security professionals