GitLab report: Australia leads in AI but faces security fears

GitLab has released the 8th edition of its annual Global DevSecOps Report, shedding light on the dynamics of software development in Australia. The report highlights mixed sentiments regarding security, developer productivity, and the role of AI as both a catalyst and potential risk within the industry.

Craig Nielsen, Vice President for Asia Pacific & Japan at GitLab, commented on the findings. "As we continue to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of software innovation, it’s encouraging to see that Australia is the global leader in AI implementation,” Nielsen noted. “However, organisations should continue focusing their efforts on consolidating toolchains, measuring developer productivity, and efficiently addressing security concerns to accelerate innovation throughout their business further.”

The report presents several key findings specific to Australia. It underscores that the nation is a frontrunner in AI use in software development, with 62% of respondents already integrating AI into their processes. This rate is higher than that of respondents from Germany (53%), Japan (48%), France (48%), the U.S. (34%), and the U.K. (31%). Nonetheless, a significant 62% of Australian participants express concern about the risks associated with AI integration in the software development lifecycle.

Developer productivity is another focal point for Australian organisations. A substantial 66% of respondents believe measuring developer productivity is crucial for business growth. However, 60% are dissatisfied with their current methods of productivity measurement. This dissatisfaction is higher compared to their counterparts from Germany (56%), the U.K. (55%), and the U.S. (52%).

The pace of software delivery in Australia is also notably quick, with 65% of respondents indicating that they are shipping software at least twice as fast as the previous year. Despite this progress, tool consolidation remains a challenge, as 53% of respondents report using between 6-15+ tools for software development. Half of these respondents express a desire to consolidate their toolchains for better efficiency.

Security is a prominent concern, particularly in relation to the software supply chain. According to the report, 86% of developers in Australia work with more than a quarter of their code derived from open-source libraries, the highest rate among surveyed markets. Despite this, only 24% are currently using a software bill of materials (SBOM) to document their software components. Additionally, 70% report that organisational red tape frequently hinders their efforts to address vulnerabilities promptly.

The report was commissioned by GitLab and conducted by Omdia. Data was gathered from 5,315 software professionals globally, including 397 participants from Australia, in April 2024.

The findings provide insight into the current state of software development in Australia, highlighting both progress and areas in need of attention, particularly in AI implementation, developer productivity measurement, tool consolidation, and security practices.