Software developers across Southeast Asia and India are increasingly integrating autonomous AI agents into their workflows, according to Agoda's AI Developer Report 2026. The report, which surveyed over 800 developers and engineering leaders, reveals that 53% of respondents now use AI agents in production workflows, with Singapore leading at 58%.
The report highlights significant productivity gains, with 55% of developers saving at least seven hours weekly due to AI, a notable increase from 18% in 2025. However, only 38% of developers feel their codebase is ready for full AI autonomy, indicating a cautious approach to complete reliance on AI.
Cost remains a significant barrier to broader AI adoption, cited by 28% of developers, surpassing concerns about integration complexity and governance. Despite these challenges, 71% of developers anticipate AI agents will handle most development work within three years, although 79% still require human approval for production deployment.
Idan Zalzberg, Agoda's Chief Technology Officer, emphasised the dual nature of AI's impact: "Artificial intelligence is reshaping how developers build, learn, and collaborate. But greater capability brings new responsibilities. The real cost is not simply the model call. It is the work required to make AI trustworthy in production."
As AI continues to evolve, developers are expected to adapt by enhancing skills in system architecture, AI literacy, and agent orchestration. The report suggests that organisations that effectively manage AI costs and maintain human oversight will excel in this new phase of development
This story was selected and published by a human editor, with content adapted from original press material using AI tools. Spot an error? Report it here.
