Untested code leaves UK firms facing rising software outage risk

Tricentis has published new research indicating that nearly two-thirds of global organisations are at significant risk of experiencing software outages in the coming year, with UK entities reporting particularly high levels of untested code deployment.

The 2025 Quality Transformation Report from Tricentis is based on a survey of 2,750 technology leaders and developers across 10 countries. Respondents included chief information officers, chief technology officers, vice presidents of engineering, and professionals from sectors such as public sector, energy and utilities, manufacturing, and financial services.

The research highlights that 66% of global organisations face a significant risk of major software outages over the next 12 months due to inadequate software testing practices. An estimated 63% of the surveyed entities admitted to deploying untested code, with the figure rising to 73% among UK organisations.

Kevin Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at Tricentis, said, "Recent software outages due to unchecked or untested code changes showcase just how critical high-quality software is to the wider organisational ecosystem, and having the right balance of quality and speed to serve developing technological needs is paramount. As AI continues to evolve, we believe tech leaders and practitioners need to define what quality means for their organisation to strike the right balance between quality, speed, and cost, while implementing comprehensive testing strategies to deliver better business outcomes."

The research identifies increasing pressure to improve delivery speed, with 45% of respondents focused on accelerating release cycles compared to just 13% who prioritise software quality. This emphasis on speed is leading to compromises, including the accidental deployment of untested code, which was reported by 40% of organisations globally.

The UK's figures are above average, with 44% reporting untested code accidentally reaching production environments, and 72% stating they have delayed software releases due to lack of confidence in test coverage. These trends are particularly pronounced in the energy, utility, and financial services sectors, where 69% and 68% respectively are facing heightened outage exposure.

The financial cost of these quality gaps is significant. Globally, 42% of organisations estimate that poor software quality results in annual losses exceeding USD $1 million (GBP £750,000). The financial services sector reports the steepest losses and, in the UK, the energy and utilities sector is closely behind in exposure to financial risk resulting from software quality issues.

Misalignment between development and leadership teams is another barrier to improvement. Poor communication between development and quality assurance teams was cited by 33% of respondents, and leadership disconnect by 28% as major obstacles worldwide. In the UK, however, the primary challenge identified was the pressure to release software rapidly, reported by 32% of respondents, followed by poor coordination between teams and a lack of alignment at the executive level.

Andrew Power, Tricentis Head of UKI, said, "With outage risks in the UK now higher than the global average due to the pressure to deliver software faster than ever, it's critical that teams tighten their engineering processes. Agentic AI offers a real opportunity here to plug productivity gaps and raise the bar on software quality and performance. By adopting autonomous testing and AI-driven delivery tools, organisations can meet tight deadlines without compromising reliability."

The report also examines the increasing role of artificial intelligence in software development and quality assurance. According to the survey, 82% of organisations are enthusiastic about the potential for AI agents to automate repetitive tasks within development cycles. Simultaneously, 84% believe AI will assist teams in meeting software delivery deadlines, and nearly 90% of technology leaders can quantify the return on investment from generative AI within their development lifecycles.

AI's capacity for autonomous decision-making is earning growing trust. Nine in ten CIOs and CTOs express confidence in AI's ability to autonomously manage software release decisions. Nearly all survey participants (99.89%) indicated that autonomous testing capabilities would be beneficial for quality assurance, with expected gains in speed, quality, test result analysis, and test case maintenance.

The findings reflect a paradigm shift underway in software development, which is being accelerated by advancements in AI. The report suggests this shift creates both challenges and opportunities for organisations as they seek to balance the competing priorities of speed, quality, and cost in the delivery of software solutions.