Thoughtworks Technology Podcast How developers can get the most from new AI coding workflows
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Nov 13, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Brandon Cook, a Principal Technologist at ThoughtWorks, delves into how generative AI is revolutionizing software development. He explores the nuances of coding agents and highlights the importance of sensible defaults and TDD practices in guiding these tools. Brandon emphasizes the balance between adopting new AI technologies and maintaining team efficiency. He introduces the concept of an autonomy slider to manage trust in these agents, and stresses the necessity of solid engineering foundations before leveraging AI to enhance workflows.
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AI Amplifies But Doesn't Replace Craft
- Generative AI accelerates development but can't replace engineering craft for large, production systems.
- Use AI to focus on outcomes while steering agents with practices like TDD to preserve quality.
Fix Delivery Habits Before Adding Agents
- Harden foundational practices like CI/CD and short PR cycles before adopting coding agents.
- Reduce review friction first because agents increase code output and PR sizes.
Give Agents Clear Guardrails
- Provide agents explicit project context, standards, and expertise via configuration or agent README files.
- Embed your team's guardrails so agents follow your engineering practices automatically.