If you caught the recent post by Charles Lamanna (yes, the Microsoft person) declaring that "low code is dead", you are forgiven for raising an eyebrow. On the surface, it sounds provocative: the leading edge of business apps just died overnight? But here at riivo, South Africa's leading low code agency, we'd argue the truth is more nuanced.
Low code is not dead; it's evolving. The better question is where it is headed.
Why someone might say "low code is dead"
First, why are Lamanna and others making this bold claim? According to commentary, the statement appears in the context of the latest announcements from Microsoft Power Platform and the broader push into AI-infused apps. One summary puts it this way:
"From 'low code is dead' to the AI-powered rebirth of the Power Platform."
In other words, the classic drag-and-drop, purely visual era of low code is giving way to low code plus generative AI, intelligent agents and natural-language app building.
Another article describes how Lamanna sees "foundation models" (big AI models) as the next stage, with specialised "derivatives" branching off to solve business problems.
So when someone says "low code is dead", they're talking about low code as we knew it, with the drag-and-drop toolkit as the endgame. They're signalling: "heads up, things are changing."
Related: The Shifting Role of Development Agencies in an AI-First World
Why low code is not dead - just transforming
At riivo we've seen many organisations in South Africa and the UK deploy low code solutions to great effect, which is why we believe the story of low code is far from over.
1. Low code solves real business problems
In our experience, the value of low code lies in enabling agility: it gets solutions out fast, involves business users, and reduces reliance on traditional heavyweight software development. That is as relevant today as ever.
The labour market still has a developer shortage, and organisations still have urgent business-process pain. Low code addresses both.
2. The shift is additive, not eliminative
Rather than "low code is dead", what we're seeing is "low code evolves". It now gets augmented by AI, by natural-language input, and by citizen developer tooling that interfaces with pro-dev. As a result, low code becomes more capable and more embedded in enterprise architecture.
3. South African context: still plenty of runway
In South Africa, many organisations are still in the early stages of digital transformation. Using low code to build workflows, integrate systems and automate manual tasks remains highly relevant.
The "next frontier" is layering in AI, but the foundation still counts. So for local firms, now is still the time to adopt low code rather than abandon it.
4. Governance, scale and complexity still matter
As organisations grow their low code projects, governance, reuse, integration and maintainability start to matter much more. This is where the "new low code" needs to include pro-developer hand-offs, dev-ops, AI-assisted code and citizen maker collaboration. Low code then sits inside a mature practice instead of being replaced.
Interesting read: Why 95% of AI Projects Fail
So, where is low code going?
Here is the direction we see for low code from riivo's vantage point, serving clients in South Africa and the UK.
a) Low code + AI = Co-development
We're entering a phase where low code platforms come with generative AI, agents and natural-language builders. Users might say: "Build me an app that tracks my stock for our branch network, sends alerts to WhatsApp, and triggers a field-service job when inventory is low." The tool will then scaffold a solution, propose logic, create integrations and surface flows.
Related: Vibe Coding Without Regrets: Bubble vs Lovable vs Power Platform
b) From point solutions to platforms
Historically many low code apps were standalone: a workflow here, a form there. The trend now is to build platforms: low code toolsets that sit within enterprise strategy, integrate with ERP/CRM, and support change over time.
c) Coders to orchestrators
In older low code narratives the developer built the app. Going forward, the developer becomes an orchestrator: assembling pre-built components, orchestrating services, defining rules, monitoring performance, and letting AI handle the heavy lifting.
d) Governance, resilience, and architecture matter more
As low code becomes central to operations, issues like security, compliance (especially in regulated sectors), data governance and change management rise in importance. In South Africa, with its own regulatory and infrastructure environment, low code practitioners must build for resilience.
e) Verticalisation and domain-specific accelerators
We see low code platforms offering "accelerators" for specific domains: manufacturing, mining, logistics, financial services. These pre-built templates plus low code/AI layering allow faster time to value.
f) Hybrid development models
Low code is not 'the only way' anymore; it's part of a hybrid model. Some features will be built in low code, others in pro-code, and increasingly AI-generated code sits between.
What this means for you
If your business is in South Africa or the UK and you're wondering whether to adopt low code, whether it's "too late", or whether you should wait for AI-apps to take over, here's what we suggest:
- Don't wait - The low code foundation is still highly valuable. Use this time to build your app-culture, your citizen-maker community and your governance frameworks.
- Plan for evolution - Don't just develop one-off apps. Think in terms of platforms, re-usable components and integrations.
- Think about AI readiness - While you may not deploy full generative-AI agents today, consider how your data, workflows and logic will support AI augmentation tomorrow.
- Govern smartly - Establish who owns low code in your organisation, what standards apply, how you monitor usage, and how you integrate with IT and professional-dev teams.
- Partner wisely - At riivo we find the best results come from agencies that understand both the business world and the pro-developer/AI world.
- Measure value - Track outcomes: how many workflows are automated, how many hours saved, how much agility gained. Low code is alive when it delivers bottom-line value.
Get the best solutions for your business, today
At riivo, we're confident that low code is very much alive. It's entering its second act: smarter, AI-empowered and embedded in enterprise strategy.
Your business and your team need agility, whatever your challenges, skills availability or legacy systems, and low code is an excellent way in. The smarter question is not "Is low code dead?" but "How will low code serve me tomorrow?" That's where we help: building custom apps and solutions that are sustainable for your business.
The future is here; it's just being built differently. Let's talk.