Mercadona creates Atenea, its own AI to develop software

Mercadona has developed its own artificial intelligence (AI) platform called Atenea to streamline software development processes. The innovative technology aims to help Mercadona's technical teams generate high-quality software more quickly. The supermarket chain launched Atenea in a press release, stating that over 500 engineers already utilize the AI-powered platform to accelerate and transform large-scale software development.

Atenea, which falls under Mercadona IT's department responsible for digitalization, integrates the company's knowledge, processes, tools, and quality standards. It also coordinates specialists who execute different missions throughout the development cycle. By employing Atenea, Mercadona seeks to optimize software development that supports its business operations.

Sergio Pajares, CTO of Mercadona, explains that the platform helps teams create software faster and more efficiently while preserving the company's unique knowledge and context. A team of early adopter engineers has been formed to promote Atenea's use across various development verticals and train others in adopting this new working method.

The primary challenge for Mercadona was to enable Atenea to understand the company's workflow and function as a team of specialized agents, each capable of performing specific tasks or working with particular technologies. Pajares emphasizes that AI's main drawback lies not in its increasing capabilities but in ensuring the AI remains aligned with the company's needs and objectives.

Before executing any task, Atenea provides agents with information about Mercadona's software development processes, tools, standards, designs, and quality criteria. This ensures that the AI generates solutions that align with the company's actual working methods. Pajares stresses that AI should not replace technical responsibility but rather amplify it, allowing professionals to maintain control and make informed decisions while the platform enhances execution capacity.

In addition to Atenea, Mercadona employs other AI solutions across various processes, such as vacation and schedule planning, automated invoice recognition, and more.