The resilience of low-code in the AI era

In this interview, Prasanna Rajendran, Vice-President of Kissflow, discusses how stronger governance, citizen development, and AI-enabled agents are shaping the next phase of enterprise application development, underscoring the resilience of software in the AI era

 There is a lot of discussion around AI tools, coding, and the future of SaaS. How do you see these trends impacting the low-code/no-code market?

If you look at the cloud, for example, it is definitely helping people with a lot of data and coding. But you still need coding knowledge. You need system thinking in order to build an application. AI is only a productivity tool for developers, not a replacement for IT teams.

We differentiate between core engineers who can code and IT developers who may not be that strong in coding but understand how to build applications with system thinking. White coding tools are generating code in the backend and creating applications in the front end, but the real challenge is maintenance. Unless you are a developer, it is very difficult to go and modify the code properly.

Kissflow is in the low-code, no-code category, and we also have AI capability built in. Both business users and IT developers can build applications. Business users can create simple applications at the team or department level without deep technical knowledge. For more sophisticated applications, IT developers can step in.

Going forward, in addition to AI capabilities, we are coming out with a new version where people can create agents. For example, if you take a travel desk use case, today you fill a form and someone searches flights and accommodation manually. With an agent inside the system, once you fill the form, it can automatically fetch existing data, check flight options, verify availability, and come back with suggestions. Once approved, it completes the booking automatically. We are building many such agents into the product.

Software is not going to die. AI will help productivity. The number of people required might reduce in some areas, but software will always be there.

How has Kissflow performed in the Middle East over the past year?

We have seen very strong and accelerated growth in the region, both in the Middle East and Africa. Over the last two years, we have acquired large customers including Coca-Cola, Al Maya Dubai, and Kanoo Group. We are also seeing strong expansion within our existing customer base. Many started small with departmental use cases and are now moving toward enterprise-wide rollouts. That is the traction we are seeing.

Another important development is the initial traction of citizen development. It has been more popular in North America and Europe, but in the Middle East it is now picking up. Some customers have started building multiple systems internally.

Our focus for the upcoming year will be vertical-driven. We are focusing on retail and FMCG as one vertical, and manufacturing, real estate, and construction as others. These sectors have a large addressable market in the region and a strong need to automate and modernize legacy applications.

The merits of citizen development of applications are often debated. What benefits do you see for businesses?

The biggest benefit is that business users do not have to wait in an IT queue. They can create their own forms and simple workflows. IT does not have to manage a huge backlog. At the same time, IT still has full control. In Kissflow, we have a mature governance model. If a business user tries to capture sensitive data, the system will automatically route it to IT for approval before deployment. Administrators are notified, and everything can be audited.

For simple or medium applications that do not integrate heavily with multiple systems, team leaders can build them. For more sophisticated applications involving ERP integration and large data exchanges, IT takes control.

We also provide a template gallery. Instead of starting from scratch, users can install pre-built templates for HR, finance, procurement, and modify them as needed. For example, at Kanoo Group, the Finance department automated many processes internally. They set up a center of excellence, trained people, and IT retains ownership and governance. The CFO himself built applications, saw the ROI, and became a champion for further adoption.

What makes your platform suitable for verticals like retail and construction?

Take retail as an example. They manage highly distributed store networks, cross-border supply chains, and face high workforce attrition. They need end-to-end visibility into operations and faster decision-making. We automate procurement, store operations, audits, checklists, compliance, budget control, and approvals. Retail runs on low margins, so cost control and cycle-time reduction are critical.

In traditional development, automating something like procurement could take three to four months. In low-code, you can do it in a few weeks and go live. That is roughly a 60-day advantage. Maintenance is also easier compared to custom development.

How scalable is the Kissflow platform?

We are fully cloud-based. Globally we run on Google Cloud, and we also use clusters on AWS and Azure. It is built on cloud architecture with auto-scaling, capable of handling peak loads. We have customers using it for 18,000 to 20,000 users with global deployments.

What is the key messaging to enterprises that you shared with the attendees at the customer focused event?

The message is that siloed automation is not enough. Each stakeholder, CFO, CEO, board and business units have different expectations. If you only automate one process at a time, you cannot demonstrate business outcomes.

We are advocating for business transformation with a digital backbone. A single platform that digitizes operations end-to-end, enabling both pro developers and business users to build applications.

CIOs need to move from a pure automation mindset to a transformation mindset. Only by touching core processes and building a holistic digital backbone can they demonstrate real value to the business.

 How do you view the market opportunity for low-code/no-code?

It is a large market globally. AI is evolving and creating noise around white coding, but enterprise awareness is still maturing. Low-code is gaining traction because analysts are talking about it and organizations see practical benefits.

Software will continue to exist. AI will improve productivity, but enterprises will still need structured platforms and governance.

What is Kissflow’s focus on R&D?

We spend a lot on R&D. We have a strong product team that works closely with global trends. We are always building new capabilities and ensuring we stay ahead in innovation. Agent enablement, AI integration, and vertical-focused enhancements are key priorities.