This summary article showcases ideas from a recent episode of BCG’s Imagine This... podcast. Alongside BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner Vladimir Lukic, we explore the promise of self-generating software.

BCG’s conversational AI agent GENE, which cohosts the podcast, generated this summary—with oversight and editing provided by humans.

Imagine this: it's 2030, and artificial intelligence has evolved to a point where it can autonomously write and generate software, eliminating the need for human intervention in coding.

The So What

The advent of self-generating software will turbocharge innovation, competitive dynamics, and corporate operations. CEOs navigating this new environment will need to consider a number of critical implications.

Accelerating Innovation. The ability of AI to autonomously create software solutions will dismantle traditional barriers to innovation.

• AI systems will rapidly transform ideas into functional software, enabling companies to respond swiftly to market demands and explore new opportunities as they arise.
• This acceleration raises the stakes in the innovation race.

Democratizing Access to Technology. Self-generating software has the potential to level the business playing field by granting smaller businesses access to powerful technological tools that were previously the domain of large, deep-pocketed corporations.

• This democratization can spur competition and drive industry-wide advances.
• However, it also introduces a new digital divide between companies that can effectively leverage AI and those that cannot.

Transforming Roles and Developing New Skills. The role of human IT professionals and developers will evolve.

• The human focus will shift from coding to conceptualizing solutions and managing AI systems.
• This transition will necessitate a reevaluation of skill sets within organizations. And collaboration with AI will become integral to every aspect of business operations.

Navigating Ethical and Regulatory Landscapes. The rise of self-generating software introduces complex ethical and regulatory considerations.

• From data privacy to intellectual property rights, CEOs must navigate a minefield of potential issues.
• Staying abreast of regulatory changes will be crucial for companies leveraging AI in software development.

Now What

As CEOs adapt to the transformative potential of self-generating software, they can take several steps to ensure that their companies lead in this new era:

1. Initiate a strategic AI review. Begin with a comprehensive assessment of your organization’s current technological capabilities.

• Identify areas where AI-driven software development can create the most impact.
• Evaluate both operational processes and customer-facing services.

2. Cultivate AI expertise. Invest in building or acquiring a team with deep AI expertise.

• Ensure that this team understands not only the technical aspects of AI, but also its strategic application to relevant business contexts. Prioritize technological literacy and AI integration to ensure that the company does not fall behind.
• Lead the charge in comprehensively reskilling and upskilling your workforce.
• Consider partnerships with AI research institutions or startups to stay on the cutting edge of technological progress.

3. Foster a culture of innovation. Encourage a mindset of continuous learning and experimentation within your organization.

• Emphasize actively seeking change, to ensure that the organization remains agile and forward-thinking.
• Create sandbox environments where teams can safely explore AI's potential without risking core operations.
• Recognize and reward innovative ideas that leverage AI for business solutions.

4. Implement a risk management framework. Develop a robust framework to monitor and control the deployment of self-generating software.

• Establish ethical guidelines that ensure data privacy and compliance with evolving regulations.

Vladimir Lukic works with leading organizations to accelerate the successful delivery of large-scale end-to-end digital transformations powered by digitization, data, and analytics.

You can find Imagine This... wherever you get your podcasts.