Software delivery platform Harness has unveiled AIDA (AI Development Assistant), an innovative generative AI assistant designed to streamline workflows within the software development lifecycle (SDLC). Unlike traditional AI applications that primarily focus on code development, AIDA takes a comprehensive approach to the entire SDLC, including code error resolution, security vulnerabilities, and cloud cost governance.
Harness claims that AIDA can significantly enhance the productivity of software engineering teams, potentially increasing it by 30-50%. The AI assistant automates the identification and explanation of security vulnerabilities by leveraging publicly available data such as common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs) and common weakness enumerations (CWEs). Using models trained on security best practices and expert knowledge, AIDA generates explanations for vulnerabilities and suggests remedies, reducing the time and effort required for remediation.
AIDA seamlessly integrates with all Harness platform workflows and capabilities, including continuous integration (CI), continuous deployment (CD), cloud cost management, and feature flags. By providing automatic pinpointing and insights into root causes, AIDA enables developers to troubleshoot and resolve issues swiftly, eliminating the need for manual log analysis.
Harness emphasizes that AIDA’s training on known vulnerabilities and weaknesses sets it apart from traditional security testing tools. The AI assistant offers targeted and accurate remediation suggestions specific to the codebase, thereby enhancing the overall security of the software.
In addition to its security capabilities, AIDA assists developers in managing cloud assets using natural language, allowing them to define policies for asset management and cost control without relying on manual programming.
Harness plans to expand AIDA’s capabilities in the future, with upcoming features such as automated code reviews, AI-assisted authoring of CI/CD pipelines, and AI-supported chaos engineering experiments. The company envisions continued innovation in generative AI, which it believes will reshape the software development landscape, enabling faster, more efficient, and higher-quality software delivery.
Harish Doddala, VP of product management at Harness, expresses confidence that AI-driven solutions like AIDA will play a significant role in empowering developers and shaping the future of software development. Harness remains committed to data privacy and security, implementing a hybrid approach and exploring the use of domain-specific data to train the models while adhering to appropriate safety protocols and encryption standards.
