Applicability of offshore software development best practices to AI-assisted software development

Sammanfattning

In this study we explored the similarities between offshore software developmentand Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted software development. Given the current researchgap regarding best practices for AI-assisted software development, this thesisaimed to explore the applicability of offshore software development best practicesto AI-assisted software development. By gathering challenges within both areasthrough a literature review and using framework analysis, we were able to determinesimilarities between the two areas. With structured interviews we were thenable to use the identified similarities to further examine the challenges and determinethe applicability of offshore software development best practices to AI-assistedsoftware development. The findings revealed three shared challenges: IP theft, codeprivacy, and tool incompatibility. Additionally, one best practice, confidentialityagreements, was determined to be directly applicable to AI-assisted software developmentbased on the responses of participants who regularly use AI assistants forcoding. The insights gained from this thesis provide valuable guidance for industrypractitioners and contribute to further academia on optimising AI-assisted softwaredevelopment practices.