ITFriends.AI: AI-First Development Saves Up to 60% on Software Costs
News related to:ITFriends.AI · 2 min read
On September 1, 2026, ITFriends.AI, a software development company founded in 2006 and based in Riga, Latvia, announced a new analysis examining how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the role of software developers and the way modern software projects are organized. The company highlighted that one of the most significant changes brought by AI-assisted software development is not simply automating the writing of code, but rather shifting the focus to human oversight and governance.
ITFriends.AI's analysis suggests that AI-First Development, where large language models and coding agents generate code, plan and build, and knowledge is kept for the human team to review, can cut software budgets by up to 60%. However, this transformation only occurs when three conditions are in place: requirements are written as precise specifications, agents that test and correct their own output are used, and an indexed codebase provides the AI with full context instead of leaving it to guess.
The company emphasized that while AI can automate much of the routine tasks in software development, the human role remains crucial. Engineers shift from writing every line of code to defining what the software must do, setting the rules, and deciding what ships.
ITFriends.AI identified four common failure points that can occur when AI is not used with human governance: silent logic errors, security holes, technical debt, and legal and compliance exposure. The company recommends three rules for engineering leaders to ensure safe and effective AI-First Development: keep a human in the loop, give the AI company context, and train engineers for the new role.
The company's analysis is available on its blog at itfriends.ai/blog/ai-first-development. ITFriends.AI is a software development company that has delivered more than 100 projects, from enterprise platforms to production AI solutions, working with a network of over 100 senior engineers in Latvia, Sweden, and the USA.
In Latvia, the company is also involved in the upcoming "Vision & Voices 2025" photography conference and open-air workshop, which will take place in the historic seaside city of Liepaja, set to become the European Capital of Culture in 2027. The event will focus on photography's role in today's rapidly changing world, with attendees including globally renowned photographers, visual arts professionals, and creative industry leaders.