AI transforms software development as Emergent reports 90% of code has no human touch

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally altering the software development lifecycle, with companies reporting significant shifts in how code is produced. Mukund Jha, founder of Emergent, stated during the Moneycontrol Startup Conclave 2026 that approximately 90% of the code his company ships now has no direct human touch. Jha noted that AI is moving beyond simple coding assistance to actively producing working software.

Industry data reflects this transition. According to a 2026 GitHub Copilot survey, 81% of developers surveyed expressed more trust in AI-generated code than in code written by junior colleagues. Furthermore, AI assistants are reportedly writing 47% of new code in enterprise GitHub repositories.

Looking ahead, Gartner predicts that by 2028, 65% of all code will be generated or reviewed by AI. Current trends show that AI-driven testing is reducing post-release bugs by 38% compared to manual methods, and AI-assisted code reviews are significantly reducing release bottlenecks for many teams.