Merge Commits The Ruby AI Podcast: The TLDR of AI Dev
Oct 21, 2025
Justin Searls, a software engineer and AI development commentator, joins the discussion to share his journey of stepping back from conference speaking. He explores the impact of coding agents on traditional workflows like TDD and delves into Agile's evolution amidst current AI changes. Justin defines iteration in the context of AI assistance, emphasizing the need for human feedback. The conversation also touches on the balance between resisting and adapting to AI agents, highlighting the importance of safety and effective configuration.
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Final Conference Talk As A Bookend
- Justin ended his conference speaking career with a Rails World 24 talk about a Rails 7 app he built for his wife.
- He announced it publicly to give closure and make space for new speakers.
Flexibility Determines Who Wins
- Developers who are rigidly attached to a workflow will resist agentic tools and feel threatened.
- Those who used practices as instruments will adapt and adopt whatever improves outcomes.
Work In Tiny, Safe Increments
- Break problems into tiny chunks and stop early when confidence drops to preserve safety.
- Monitor agents closely and hit a manual stop to avoid large, unsafe changes.
