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Modern CTO

How A PhD in Machine Learning Revolutionized Codebases with Scott Dietzen, CEO at Augment Code

Feb 24, 2025
Scott Dietzen, CEO at Augment Code, is an expert in AI and machine learning with a PhD and extensive experience in systems software. He dives into how Augment is transforming the coding landscape, enhancing developer productivity, and boosting software quality. The conversation touches on the complexities of integrating AI into development tools, highlighting its potential to revolutionize software engineering practices. Scott also discusses the role of human expertise in navigating automation, ensuring efficiency while maintaining security and compliance.
49:28

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Scott Dietzen discusses how AI, particularly through Augment Code, is revolutionizing software engineering by providing context-aware suggestions, thus enhancing productivity and code quality.
  • The podcast emphasizes the importance of data security in AI solutions for developers, highlighting Augment Code's commitment to protecting intellectual property while optimizing coding processes.

Deep dives

Scott Dietzen's Background and Entrepreneurial Vision

Scott Dietzen, the CEO of Augment Code, has over 30 years of experience in technology and a background in machine learning. His journey began with a PhD in symbolic reasoning, but as technology evolved, he decided to transition into entrepreneurship, focusing on software engineering challenges. Recognizing the complexity and difficulties associated with maintaining large codebases, he saw the emergence of large language models as an opportunity to alleviate some of this pain for software engineers. By leveraging AI, Augment aims to optimize software engineering practices, moving beyond basic programming to improve the overall development process.

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