Artificial Intelligence in Contemporary Software Development: An Analytical Study of Practices, Challenges, and Future Directions

This research paper explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into modern software development processes. It analyzes the applications of AI across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including requirement analysis, design, implementation, testing, and maintenance. The study identifies the practical benefits of AI, such as improved productivity, higher software quality, and reduced maintenance costs, while also addressing challenges like data quality, ethical concerns, and skill shortages. Additionally, the paper discusses future research directions, including explainable AI models, ethical frameworks, and large-scale empirical validation. This work provides a professional and analytical perspective suitable for academic journals, conferences, and open-access repositories.