Adventures in DevOps AI, IDEs, Copilot & Critical Thinking
Oct 31, 2025
John Papa, Partner General Manager at Microsoft and former Disney architect, shares his journey in developer tools and the creation of VS Code. He discusses 'Agentic AI,' predicting a shift where developers become managers of AI agents, and warns about the risks of automation. John recounts cautionary tales from Disney, emphasizing the perils of skipping testing and the importance of human oversight. He challenges listeners to question the necessity of new AI features, leaving them with the thought: 'Who asked for that?'
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Editor Experiment Led To VS Code
- John tried a different code editor every month for a year and that led to involvement with VS Code's early team.
- His feedback influenced VS Code's design and he spoke at its Build launch despite small role.
Developers As Managers Of Agents
- John predicts an "agentic AI" future where developers become managers of AI agents rather than only writing code.
- Agents will read specs, produce work, and require human oversight for review and acceptance.
Never Auto‑Merge Without A Human
- Avoid automatic PR merging and keep a human approving changes before they land in production.
- Insist on manual review to prevent catastrophic automated mistakes.