GitLab Inc., the leading DevSecOps platform, has released its annual Global DevSecOps report, The Intelligent Software Development Era: How AI will redefine DevSecOps in 2026 and beyond, revealing a growing challenge known as the "AI Paradox." The study, conducted by The Harris Poll and based on responses from 3,266 DevSecOps professionals across IT operations, security, and software development, shows that while AI is accelerating coding, it is also introducing new inefficiencies that are costing teams nearly seven hours per week per team member. Despite the speed gains from AI, organizations are struggling with fragmented toolchains and rising compliance demands. The report finds that 85% of respondents believe platform engineering is essential to unlocking the full productivity potential of AI. At the same time, 82% of companies now deploy to production at least once a week, yet 60% use more than five tools for software development, and 49% use more than five AI tools—creating significant complexity. The AI Paradox stems from the fact that while AI makes coding faster and more accessible, it also increases the volume and complexity of code, especially when generated by AI agents. This leads to new bottlenecks in quality assurance, security, and compliance. As a result, human oversight remains critical, with 76% of professionals expecting that as coding becomes easier, the number of engineers will grow—not shrink—further amplifying the need for scalable, intelligent systems to manage AI-generated code. The report highlights that AI readiness is nearing universal adoption, but the real challenge lies in governing and securing AI-driven development. With compliance becoming more complex, the future of software development will require compliance to be embedded directly into the code from the start. Manav Khurana, chief product and marketing officer at GitLab, said, “This survey illustrates what we call the 'AI Paradox'—where coding is faster than ever, yet the lack of quality, security, and speed across the software lifecycle is causing friction on the road to innovation. Toolchain fragmentation has created bottlenecks for developers, and AI agents are amplifying the issue. Organizations need a new framework to match the speed of software development in the age of AI—one that provides intelligent orchestration across the entire software lifecycle while addressing the interconnected requirements of AI orchestration, governance, and compliance that individual point tools simply cannot solve.” GitLab’s findings underscore the urgent need for integrated, intelligent platforms that unify development, security, and operations. As AI reshapes team structures and workflows, platform engineering emerges as a key enabler for sustainable innovation. GitLab is the most comprehensive, intelligent DevSecOps platform for software innovation. It empowers organizations to increase developer productivity, improve operational efficiency, reduce security and compliance risks, and accelerate digital transformation. With over 50 million registered users and more than half of the Fortune 100 companies relying on GitLab to deliver better, more secure software faster, the platform is at the forefront of the next era of software development.