Agentic SDLC in practice: the rise of autonomous software delivery
A new PwC Middle East survey shows that GenAI has moved into the core of software delivery across the region, accelerating both speed and quality. As we move toward the end of the decade, agentic SDLC concept is set to become mainstream. Organisations that invest today in governance, observability and modern talent models will unlock the full speed–quality–cost advantage of GenAI.
GenAI is reshaping how software is delivered across the Middle East
Software delivery in the region is undergoing a historic shift. What started as exploratory pilots has rapidly become production-grade adoption, with teams integrating GenAI into everyday workflows across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Organisations are already seeing measurable gains in release frequency, quality and stability - and the gap between early adopters and slower-moving teams is widening.
Our 2025 PwC Middle East survey of 377 technology leaders reveals a clear inflection point:
70% of software teams now use GenAI at moderate to high levels, moving from experimentation to enterprise integration.
This is no longer about incremental uplift. It is about redefining the speed, structure and economics of software delivery.
Breadth of GenAI adoption drives performance
Teams that apply GenAI across more SDLC stages see stronger gains in release frequency, quality and stability. The data shows a clear divide: 38% of teams are Pioneers using GenAI in six or more stages, while 32% remain Observers using it in one or none.
Pioneers release significantly faster
By embedding GenAI broadly across their workflows, Pioneer teams achieve a step change in delivery speed, averaging around 74 releases per year, far outpacing less augmented teams.
Larger teams adopt GenAI more broadly
GenAI adoption strongly correlates with team size. Larger squads, typically 15 to 16 FTEs, are far more likely to use GenAI across six or seven SDLC stages. Smaller teams, closer to eight FTEs, tend to remain Observers with limited augmentation.
GenAI is becoming standard across regional software delivery
Adoption is strongest in the GCC, where high-usage teams are 1.7 times more common than in Egypt, while Jordan shows a more balanced pattern. Requirements ideation, coding and design are the most augmented stages today, with more than half of teams using GenAI in these phases. This is accelerating the move from ideas to working software and improving early-stage quality.
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