SmartBear is a software company that provides tools for software development, testing, and monitoring. While they may have some insights into the technology industry, it's important to note that their perspective is likely focused on the use of AI within software development rather than the broader implications of AI across all industries.

That being said, it's no secret that AI is becoming increasingly prevalent in many areas of our lives. SmartBear may be referring to the fact that AI is being integrated into software development tools to automate various tasks such as testing, debugging, and code optimization. This can lead to increased efficiency and productivity for developers, as well as more accurate and reliable software.

Figure 1. The Rise of AI, According to SmartBear

The Rise of AI, According to SmartBear is shown in figure 1. At SmartBear, we focus on your one priority that never changes: quality. We know delivering quality software over and over is complicated. So, our tools are built to streamline your process while seamlessly working with the products you use – and will use. Whether it’s TestComplete, Swagger, Cucumber, ReadyAPI, Zephyr, or one of our other tools, we span from test automation, API design, collaboration, performance testing, test management, and more.[1]

SmartBear, a leading provider of software development and visibility tools, released the results of its 2023 State of Software Quality | API survey, which garnered responses from over 1,100 API practitioners in more than 17 industries. Although microservices continue to be the main driver of API growth, 38% of respondents say artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as an increasingly influential driver in future growth of APIs. First published in 2016, SmartBear has regularly surveyed the API community to identify industry benchmarks, including trends, best practices, methodologies, and tools used by developer teams to manage the API lifecycle.

"As the API industry continues to rapidly evolve, we are excited to share the most up-to-date API development and management trends, and the factors contributing to its growth now and in the years ahead," said Sean Butler, Vice President of API Product Management at SmartBear "There are several interesting findings this year, including APIs supporting event-driven API architectures has increased, we are seeing a positive trend in API documentation, and API standardization and security continue to be the top challenges for development teams worldwide."[2]

Key insights of the 2023 State of Software Quality | API survey include:

• APIs supporting event-driven API architectures have increased (62%) while web APIs remain the top experience that APIs are supporting (88%) with mobile close behind.
• 62% of respondents attribute microservices as the top driver for API growth while 53% believe the top challenge for the success of microservices hinges on having the right experience and skills.
• 90% of respondents have documentation in place or plan to have it in place in the future, while 60% of organizations agree or strongly agree that having documentation processes ensure their APIs are secure.
• With rapid API growth introducing fragmentation in how APIs are designed, built, and secured, API standardization (51%) and security (40%) continue to be the top challenges that organizations want to solve.
• Organizations are making strides to have formal testing processes in place. In 2023, we saw a 15% increase in companies making formal testing a priority.[3]

SmartBear likely sees the rise of AI as a positive trend for the software development industry, as it can lead to increased efficiency and accuracy in software development. However, it's important to note that the broader implications of AI across all industries and society as a whole need to be considered, including issues around job displacement, privacy, and bias. As AI continues to advance, it will be crucial for individuals and organizations to stay informed and engaged in discussions around the ethical and responsible use of this technology.

References:

1. https://devops.com/smartbear-expands-support-of-codeless-automated-testing-for-mobile-and-erp-applications/
2. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/artificial-intelligence-poised-drive-api-120700795.html
3. https://aithority.com/machine-learning/artificial-intelligence-poised-to-drive-api-growth-according-to-nearly-40-of-respondents-in-recent-survey/

Cite this article:

Gokula Nandhini K (2023), The Rise of AI, According to SmartBear, Anatechmaz, pp.248