As generative AI (GenAI) continues to reshape the software development landscape, many are wondering whether legacy languages like Java will be sidelined. George Gould, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Partner Alliances at Azul, offers a contrarian—and compelling—view: “We don’t see Java getting replaced anywhere. In fact, we believe AI is only going to increase the use of Java.”

Java’s legacy in enterprise systems is unmatched. It powers mission-critical applications across finance, e-commerce, healthcare, and more. And according to Gould, that won’t change. What will change is how AI gets embedded into those applications.

“AI-generated services may be written in Python, but they’ll be wrapped in Java APIs and integrated into core business systems,” he explains. “Java is still the de facto language for enterprise-grade scale and performance.”

This perspective highlights a key trend: AI isn’t a replacement technology—it’s a complementary one. Tools like GitHub Copilot may streamline how code is written, but operationalizing AI services requires the same secure, scalable platforms enterprises have relied on for decades.

Azul sees AI as an opportunity to deepen Java’s relevance, not diminish it. Their focus remains on making Java faster, more secure, and more deployable—whether you’re integrating AI APIs or scaling containerized workloads across the cloud.

The takeaway is clear: in the age of GenAI, Java isn’t retiring. It’s evolving—and getting more embedded than ever.