GitLab launches AI-driven GitLab Duo Enterprise at USD $39 per user

GitLab has announced the general availability of GitLab Duo Enterprise, which offers end-to-end AI capabilities across every stage of the software development lifecycle. The new add-on, priced at USD $39 per user per month, is available to Ultimate customers through all GitLab deployment options, including multi-tenant SaaS, single-tenant SaaS, and self-managed solutions.

According to GitLab, this new feature aims to help organisations develop secure software more efficiently. GitLab Duo Enterprise includes all capabilities found in GitLab Duo Pro, plus additional enterprise-focused functionalities aimed at improving workflow efficiencies, proactively detecting and fixing security vulnerabilities, and enhancing team collaboration with a privacy-first approach to AI.

Recently, GitLab was recognised as a Leader in the first-ever 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for AI Code Assistants. Gartner predicts that by 2027, the number of platform engineering teams using AI to augment every phase of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) will increase from 5% to 40%. This aligns with findings from GitLab's 2024 Global DevSecOps report, which noted that developers currently spend less than a quarter of their time writing new code.

Highlighting the potential benefits of AI, the report cited improved productivity (51%), faster deployments (44%), and increased accuracy and security (40%) as key organisational advantages.

GitLab Duo Enterprise includes features such as vulnerability explanation and resolution, root cause analysis, an AI impact dashboard, and summarisation and templating tools for discussions, merge requests, and code reviews. These additions are designed to give developers and security analysts a comprehensive toolset to understand and fix vulnerabilities, analyse logs, and optimise CI/CD processes, thereby accelerating the development process and improving software security.

Available in both GitLab Duo Pro and GitLab Duo Enterprise are capabilities for code generation and completion, as well as tools for code refactoring, explanation, and test generation. These functionalities are accessed through GitLab Duo Chat, a natural language interface intended to streamline code creation and review processes. Organisational user controls are also included to allow approved users to enable AI within their workflows.

Mans Booijink, Operations Manager at Cube, spoke positively about the new features: "The AI features available in GitLab Duo are helping us make secure software faster. It's important to our business. We need to be fast, efficient and deliver high quality to stay competitive in the market. That means leveraging AI tools like code suggestions, vulnerability explanation, and issue and merge request summaries across the entire software development lifecycle. We love that everything comes together in one system."

James Gutholm, CIO at State of Washington Public Disclosure Commission, echoed this sentiment: "GitLab has been instrumental in aligning our IT operations with our core business needs. As we look towards the future, we're excited about the potential of GitLab Duo's key AI capabilities like Code Suggestions and Chat. We believe this will enable our team to focus more on the intricacies of campaign finance and public sector requirements, rather than getting bogged down in the mechanics of software development. GitLab Duo promises to streamline our processes further, allowing us to better serve our stakeholders in the public sector."

David DeSanto, Chief Product Officer at GitLab, emphasised the significance of the new release: "Organisations want AI that goes beyond code creation to ship secure software faster and deliver more value to their customers. GitLab Duo Enterprise provides an end-to-end solution that embeds AI across the entire software development lifecycle. We believe GitLab's recent recognition as a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for AI Code Assistants reflects our commitment to enabling customers to create more secure code while prioritising data privacy and protecting intellectual property."