Platform engineering has changed how organizations develop, deploy and manage applications by streamlining processes, improving efficiencies and fostering collaboration. As organizations now look to integrate generative AI (gen AI) as quickly and as often as possible - platform engineering is proving to be critical to setting organizations up for success in adopting and implementing these groundbreaking new technologies.

Our inaugural State of Platform Engineering in the Age of AI report examines trends, challenges and best practices from industry practitioners to help us to better understand how and why organizations are implementing platform engineering practices. The report is based on a global survey of 1,000 platform engineers and IT decision makers in organizations ranging from small companies to large enterprises. It delivers insights into the following:

• The current state of platform engineering and how organizations are adopting and implementing platform engineering practices
• Benefits and success organizations are seeing from adopting platform engineering as well as common challenges they face
• The impact of generative and predictive AI on current and future platform engineering efforts

Check out some of the highlights below and download the full report to learn more about the findings.

Experience and maturity matter. The Platform Engineering Maturity Index was a model created for this survey and categorizes organizations into four maturity levels: Exploring, Emerging, Established and Advanced. Each level represents a different stage in the platform engineering journey -- from initial exploration and implementation to advanced integration and optimization. In a testament to the growth of platform engineering, only 14% of respondents marked themselves as Exploring, with the remaining respondents having at least started to implement platform engineering practices and build initial capabilities.

However, our findings show it is when organizations reach the Advanced stage that they see platform engineering practices truly pay off. More mature organizations see productivity improvements, with 54% of Advanced organizations reporting they have seen an increase in innovation compared to those who are just starting their platform engineering journey. Additionally, 51% of Advanced organizations reported they saw improved security and compliance, whereas only 15% of Exploring organizations reported the same -- highlighting the importance of a continued commitment to platform engineering for more impactful results and capabilities.

Generative AI is strategically important. Part of the drive behind conducting this survey was to see how gen AI is influencing platform engineering. The report shows that AI is proving to be a top priority -- with 34% of organizations viewing gen AI as an important component of their platform engineering strategy, and nearly half (45%) considering it central.

This emphasizes a growing understanding that AI capabilities are essential for driving innovation, enhancing efficiency, and unlocking the full potential of platform engineering. The impact of AI on platform engineering teams will be wide ranging, with many organizations already altering tools, processes, and overall charters to allow developers, data scientists, and other teams to fully harness the technology. Having strong platform engineering and DevOps practices in place will be the answer to quickly bringing AI-enabled applications to life.

Security and collaboration are key drivers. While many factors are prompting organizations to adopt platform engineering -- security and collaboration are a primary motivator. The survey found that organizations are increasingly drawn to platform engineering because of its ability to enhance security (48%) and ease collaboration (44%) within development teams.  

By providing a standardized platform with a stronger security posture for development, organizations can mitigate risks while empowering developers to collaborate. This focus on security and collaboration not only improves the efficiency of the development process but also contributes to complaint applications. Advanced organizations in particular see greater success in both increased developer productivity (52%) and improved security and compliance (46%).

Many organizations have shown they are already reaping the benefits of adopting platform engineering practices, and those benefits are set to increase as they advance on their platform engineering journey. And while it is clear the platform engineering landscape will continue to evolve as AI moves to the forefront of IT strategies - organizations who have platform engineering practices in place are well positioned for managing the next generation of software development.