.NET Rocks! Building an AI App with Calum Simpson
Dec 4, 2025
Calum Simpson, VP of AI at SSW and mastermind behind YakShaver, discusses building innovative AI tools. He dives into YakShaver's mission to reduce busywork in issue reporting, leveraging video inputs for richer context. The conversation highlights the use of Model Context Protocol servers in the upcoming V2, enhancing functionality by integrating directly with platforms like GitHub. Calum also reflects on the balance of responsibility in AI use, emphasizing the importance of human oversight and clear prompts for optimal outcomes in development.
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Yak Shaving Explains The Problem
- Yak shaving describes endless side quests that distract from the main task.
- Calum Simpson built YakShaver to remove that busy work in issue reporting.
Record Context, Don't Interrupt Meetings
- Record context and delegate the reporting details to a tool instead of interrupting meetings.
- Use YakShaver to collect stakeholders, backlog targets, and formatting so meetings stay focused.
Video-First Reporting Approach
- YakShaver's distinguishing input is a recorded video with audio and screen capture.
- The system analyzes transcript and screen content to create consistent backlog items.