Autonomous Agents in Software Development: A Vision Paper

Abstract

Large Language Models (LLM) are reshaping the field of Software Engineering (SE). They enable innovative methods for executing many SE tasks, including automation of entire process of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). However, only a limited number of existing works have thoroughly explored the potential of LLM based AI agents to automate the entire lifecycle in SE. In this paper, we demonstrate the success of our initial efforts in automating the entire lifecycle autonomously based on given software specification as input, which has shown remarkable efficiency and significantly reduced development time. Our preliminary results suggest that the careful implementation of AI agents can enhance the development lifecycle. We aim to streamline the SDLC by integrating all phases into an AI-driven chat interface, enhancing efficiency and transparency. Furthermore, we seek to enhance collaboration, creating an environment where stakeholders from various backgrounds can contribute, review, and refine ideas and requirements in real-time. This forward-looking direction guarantees to redefine the paradigms of SE and also make software creation more inclusive, collaborative, and efficient.