To be blunt: no. At least, not yet. My skepticism comes from years of experience in the automation space. We've seen this pattern before with citizen development programs for RPA and other low-code platforms. Many organizations have tried to roll them out, but I have honestly never seen it work at scale. The clients who have made the most progress in automation did not achieve it through a widespread citizen development program.
Of course, that’s based on past experiences. The big question is whether the new layer of AI changes the game.
Something has definitely changed. The barrier to entry is lower than ever. Low-code platforms already made it simpler to build automations and applications with drag-and-drop interfaces. Today, AI takes it a step further. You can now describe the solution you want in natural language, and the system starts building it for you. It’s far more intuitive.
However, while the creation process has become simpler, the fundamental risks of building IT solutions have not disappeared. Whether it's an automation or an AI agent, you're still creating a piece of software that interacts with business processes and data. For me, the core challenges remain, which is why I still have my doubts about when we can hand something over to a citizen developer versus when it needs to be built by a central, expert team.
Absolutely. And the fact that AI makes it so easy to build things actually makes me a bit anxious. Without the right structure, we risk creating massive problems. We have to think about governance, compliance, and security from the very beginning.
If we let everyone build their own AI solutions without a proper framework, we’ll be back in the age of shadow IT. We’ll lose control over our data, and we won’t even know which solutions are running within the organization. This introduces a huge number of security and compliance risks.
The only way forward is a structured approach. Organizations need to create a clear framework that defines what’s allowed and what isn’t. Rolling out formal programs to support and govern these initiatives will be crucial. The key to success lies in co-creation, where citizen developers, the business experts, can collaborate with technical experts in a controlled environment. This allows great ideas from the business to flourish without compromising on security, scalability, and governance.
So, are citizen agents pure hype? Not entirely. The potential is undeniable. But technology alone is never the answer. The enthusiasm for citizen-led AI development must be balanced with the pragmatism of solid IT governance.
By establishing clear frameworks, fostering co-creation between business and IT, and providing structured support, organizations can unlock the power of citizen agents safely and effectively. It’s not about restricting innovation, but about enabling it to thrive sustainably.
Ready to explore the potential of citizen agents without the risks? Let's talk about building a solid governance framework for your organization.
