The Rise of AI Tools in Software Development

Over the last couple of years, AI has shifted from an interesting experiment to an everyday tool - and nowhere has that change been more impactful than in how software is written.

For development teams like ours, AI isn't about replacing engineers. It's about amplifying them.

AI as a Development Accelerator

We've spent the past 12 months deeply embedding AI into our development workflows, and the impact has been undeniable. Used well, AI dramatically reduces the time it takes to go from idea to working software.

Among the tools we've tested, Claude has become our favourite for writing code. Its ability to understand context, refactor cleanly, and reason through complex logic makes it an invaluable partner when building real-world systems - not just snippets or prototypes.

Faster Time to Market for Client Work

One of the biggest benefits we're already seeing is improved time to market. AI allows us to move faster through the early stages of development - scaffolding projects, exploring approaches, and validating ideas - without compromising on quality.

That speed doesn't mean rushing. It means more time spent refining, testing, and tailoring solutions to the exact needs of each client.

And that leads us to a bigger shift we believe is coming.

Less SaaS, More Bespoke Software

For years, SaaS platforms have dominated because building custom software was expensive and slow. AI is changing that equation.

We predict the next phase of software will be defined by more bespoke solutions and less reliance on off-the-shelf SaaS. When custom software can be built faster and more affordably, it suddenly makes sense to design tools that fit businesses perfectly - instead of forcing businesses to adapt to generic platforms.

We're not just predicting this shift. We're already living it.

Building With AI: Our Own Experience

Internally, we've used AI to help us design and build a complete customer service platform from the ground up. A project of this scale would traditionally require 2,000+ hours of development - we delivered it in under 400. From architecture decisions to implementation details, AI played a significant role in accelerating development and exploring better solutions.

We'll be sharing much more about this journey in follow-up posts - including what worked, what didn't, and how we avoided the common pitfalls of AI-assisted development.

What This Means for Deploy

AI will play a huge role in how our team works moving forward. Just as importantly, we want to share what we're learning with our current and future customers.

That's why we'll soon be launching AI Consultancy Services. Over the past 12 months, I've been deep in the trenches - learning, experimenting, and building real software with AI-driven workflows.

While we're known as a Magento and eCommerce Marketing agency, it's becoming increasingly clear that our future will also include AI-led services and custom software development - particularly where it can unlock real competitive advantages for our clients.

AI isn't a silver bullet. But in the hands of experienced developers, it's a powerful tool - and we're only just getting started.