Sophia Nicole Salivio
news editor
Jitterbit published research showing that UK and US technology leaders are divided on whether to buy or build AI agents, highlighting the differences in companies’ preferences for agent automation.
According to its data, 51% of UK organizations prefer off-the-shelf agents to build and deploy AI agent automation, while 48% rely on bespoke systems. In the US, the pattern is reversed, with 55% of respondents favoring custom-built code developed entirely in-house, while 45% lean toward pre-built agents.
This number is based on Jitterbit’s 2026 AI Automation Benchmark report, which examines how IT decision makers are approaching AI and automation. This suggests that UK companies are prioritizing speed and efficiency over bespoke development as they expand their use of AI agents.
Among UK respondents, 43% preferred agents built into pre-built Software-as-a-Service applications. In contrast, 28% preferred to build their own low-code or no-code integration platform, and 20% preferred in-house custom code agents built through tools like Lovable or similar services. Only 8% chose off-the-shelf agents as their primary source of information.
cost pressure
Jitterbit linked strategic decoupling to the changing economics of AI adoption, arguing that rising token costs and heavy use of large language models are making bespoke development less attractive, especially for companies considering the cost of maintaining internal systems.
This reflects broader market concerns about the total cost of AI projects. Many companies have invested heavily in in-house engineering teams and AI experimentation, but as projects move into broader business use, spending on inference, integration, and model usage has become a more visible budget issue.
The report also found that 81% of organizations plan to increase funding for AI and automation over the next 12 months, suggesting demand remains strong even as businesses become more selective about deployment and expected revenue.
build or buy
The contrast between the UK and the US also shows differences in corporate culture when it comes to software development. While engineering teams in the US appear keen to continue developing AI agents in-house, organizations in the UK have shown a willingness to adopt pre-built options provided by software vendors.
This distinction is important as AI agents move from pilot projects to mainstream operational tools. Companies use them to automate processes, integrate applications, and orchestrate tasks, so the decision to build a system in-house or buy one off-the-shelf can impact budget, implementation time, and the level of technical oversight required.
Pre-built systems can offer faster implementation and more predictable supplier support, while custom builds offer more control over workflow and internal data processing. Our findings suggest that this trade-off is becoming clearer as the cost of AI consumption rises and boards seek clearer evidence of value.
For UK businesses, research shows that wariness about custom development is more than just technical conservatism. This also reflects a pragmatic response to the pressure to deploy AI tools at scale without incurring the unlimited costs associated with internal development and token usage.
Bill Connor, president and CEO of Jitterbit, said the market is moving into a new phase as AI projects become more integrated into core operations.
“We are moving past the era of siled AI experimentation and into the era of pure orchestration,” said Conner.
He said economic pressures are reshaping the way companies evaluate custom systems against off-the-shelf alternatives.
“The market is waking up to the true total cost of ownership of custom AI. Between developer bottlenecks and rising token costs, building everything from scratch is a luxury few can afford. The UK’s slight preference for pre-built applications may have previously been considered prudent, but it is proving highly strategic as economic pressures force a shift from development to intelligent integration,” Connor said.
