Across Britain, from the offices of SMEs to the corridors of Whitehall, from schools and universities to bustling start-ups in Manchester, Edinburgh and Bristol, a profound shift in software creation is unfolding. It is not flashy. It is not happening on a stage. It is not heralded by the kind of seismic announcements usually associated with technological revolutions.
Instead, it is happening at kitchen tables, in staff rooms, in community organisations, and in the hands of professionals who never intended to become software builders.
This quiet revolution is being driven by the intersection of two forces:
Low-code development, which allows people to design software using visual interfaces rather than lines of code; and
ChatGPT-style AI, which can read, write, reason and translate software instructions on demand.
Together, they are making Britain’s digital future both more accessible and more complex. They invite us to imagine a society where creating digital tools is as commonplace as using them—but they also raise new risks about dependency, digitisation gaps and ethical oversight.
As a member of a UK academic committee focused on digital innovation and societal impact, I have spent the past two years watching this trend unfold with a mixture of optimism and caution. What follows is my attempt to help a wider British audience understand what this technological shift means for our country, our economy, and for everyday citizens.
Low-code development platforms—such as Microsoft Power Apps, Mendix, and OutSystems—have existed for over a decade. Their pitch was simple:
Why hire a team of software developers when you can build functional tools yourself, using drag-and-drop components?
At first, this promise felt overly optimistic. The tools were clunky, the learning curve steep, and the customisation options limited.
But the landscape changed rapidly for three main reasons:
The UK has struggled to meet its demand for software engineers. Businesses of every size—from care homes to construction firms—need digital workflows, databases, dashboards and automation pipelines. But the talent pool is perpetually stretched.
Low-code has become a lifeline.
As more UK organisations migrated to cloud-based infrastructures, low-code tools slotted in naturally.
The true inflection point came when conversational AI, especially ChatGPT, began acting as a translator between human intention and machine-specific syntax. The combination has proved explosive.
Low-code platforms provide the interface.
ChatGPT provides the intelligence.
Together, they provide accessibility.
This partnership is now reshaping the UK’s digital ecosystem.
When most people hear about AI and software development, they imagine robots writing entire applications overnight. The truth is subtler—and more practical.
ChatGPT’s role is not to replace low-code tools, but to amplify them. Its contributions fall into several core categories:
You can now type:
“Build a Power App that logs visitor data, checks ID against a list, and automatically alerts the reception team when someone arrives.”
the app structure,
the necessary database schema,
formulas for buttons and forms,
and step-by-step instructions for deployment.
This lowers the barrier to entry dramatically.
For new users—especially citizen developers—one of the biggest challenges is debugging. ChatGPT can now explain, in plain, friendly English, why a workflow failed or a form won’t save.
It has become a 24/7 tutor, something the UK desperately needed.
Low-code is powerful, but not universal.
Sometimes you need a custom script.
Sometimes you need to glue two incompatible systems together.
Sometimes you need a small chunk of code to automate an obscure policy rule.
ChatGPT fills this gap seamlessly.
ChatGPT can outline:
documentation
testing matrices
user manuals
governance frameworks
deployment strategies
This is the “boring but essential” part of enterprise software creation—and AI is surprisingly good at it.
Perhaps the most underrated impact is cultural. ChatGPT gives non-technical staff a way to express their needs in natural language and see prototypes within minutes.
For the first time in decades, Britain may be entering an era where technical and non-technical staff collaborate fluidly.
The NHS is routinely cited as Britain’s most administratively overburdened institution. Low-code + ChatGPT is already helping to:
streamline internal workflows
track patient equipment
automate paperwork
support staff scheduling
monitor medication stock
These solutions are not replacing clinicians. They are replacing paperwork.
Teachers are discovering that ChatGPT can:
build apps for classroom tracking
automate assignment logs
generate simple parent communication systems
create low-code-powered tools for special-needs support
Small improvements add up across thousands of schools.
Councils are using AI-assisted low-code for:
reporting potholes
managing community events
scheduling inspections
enabling faster benefits processing
These are areas often plagued by outdated legacy systems.
Small and medium-sized businesses are arguably the biggest winners. Many lack IT staff entirely. ChatGPT allows them to:
digitise operations
automate inventory
track customers
integrate accounting
build internal dashboards
This could significantly boost UK productivity.
Design studios, marketing agencies and media companies have embraced ChatGPT as a brainstorming companion and a prototyping partner—especially when custom interactive tools are needed for campaigns.
One of the greatest under-reported benefits is the impact on equality.
Low-code + ChatGPT opens doors for:
career changers
disabled individuals
people without formal STEM backgrounds
those in rural communities
older workers needing digital upskilling
This is not hypothetical. It is happening now.
University courses are beginning to incorporate AI-assisted tooling not as a gimmick, but as a core skill. It helps students demonstrate creativity rather than memorisation.
With staffing shortages in healthcare, local councils and social care, AI-assisted low-code offers a way to improve services without constantly increasing headcount.
No technological transition is frictionless. AI-assisted low-code carries real risks that must be addressed thoughtfully.
If organisations rely too heavily on AI-generated logic, they may lose critical institutional knowledge.
When employees can build apps in minutes, oversight becomes essential.
Without guardrails, data governance risks multiply.
Low-code apps often handle sensitive data.
ChatGPT can help build secure systems—but can also unwittingly support sloppy practices if users are not properly trained.
It is tempting to imagine a world where anyone can build reliable software. Reality is more nuanced. Citizen developers still need:
training
oversight
an understanding of data ethics
AI reduces friction, but does not eliminate responsibility.
Ironically, while low-code aims to broaden access, those without digital literacy may be pushed even further behind.
The UK must pair this technological shift with a societal commitment to lifelong digital learning.
To ensure this transition benefits the entire nation, Britain needs a coherent plan.
A shared framework for security, ethics, documentation and governance is essential.
Every UK worker should have access to training that includes:
AI literacy
low-code basics
data privacy understanding
SMEs should be offered:
grants
tax incentives
training programmes
access to advisory hubs
This reflects their central role in the UK economy.
Every major UK public service should have dedicated AI-and-low-code teams to rapidly build and improve tools.
Universities should collaborate with industry to ensure that the workforce—past, present and future—can leverage these tools responsibly.
The UK cannot afford a repeat of historical failures in digital governance. Clear accountability is crucial.
No.
But it will change the shape of the profession.
Routine tasks will fade. Complex system design will rise.
Tasks once considered too technical will now be achievable.
ChatGPT does not remove the need for human judgment.
It removes the barriers to human creativity.
For decades, Britain has struggled with the idea that software creation is an elite activity performed by a small cadre of specialists. AI-assisted low-code undermines that narrative.
It signals a future where:
a nurse builds a clinic-management app;
a teacher creates a custom learning tracker;
a council worker automates a benefits-processing pipeline;
a small shop owner designs a stock-monitoring dashboard.
This is not science fiction.
This is happening today, in quiet corners across the country.
If we get this right, by 2030 Britain could be:
the global leader in citizen-driven digital innovation
a country where AI literacy is as common as reading and writing
a world-class centre for ethical, transparent, responsible AI use
a nation where digital tools reflect local needs, not just corporate offerings
Britain has always been at its best when innovation serves the public, not just industry. AI-assisted low-code gives us a rare chance to re-shape our society in that spirit.
The combination of ChatGPT and low-code tools is not merely a technological upgrade. It represents a fundamental shift in who gets to participate in Britain’s digital growth.
If done well, it can:
reduce inequality
strengthen public services
boost productivity
empower millions
cultivate a digitally confident nation
But it requires foresight, investment and trust.
The most transformative technologies often begin quietly.
This one is already changing how Britain works—line by line, form by form, button by button.
The question now is not whether ChatGPT will reshape low-code development in the UK.
It already has.
The question is whether we as a society will seize this moment to build something better.
