AI in Scrum: Value, Validation, and the Human Factor (Q&A -Part 1)

In this Q&A episode, Eric Naiburg, COO of Scrum.org, is joined by Darrell Fernandes, Executive Advisor at Scrum.org to explore how AI is showing up in Scrum Teams today—and what it really takes to make it valuable.

Drawing from questions raised during a recent webinar: Managing Your AI Teammate: Turning AI from Experiment to Strategic Partner, they discuss practical ways teams are using AI as a research assistant, DevOps helper, and development aid. They emphasize why Scrum’s iterative mindset is critical for working with AI, especially given how quickly models, capabilities, and limitations evolve.

The conversation tackles common misconceptions about AI replacing people, the importance of validating AI outputs, and why teams should consider writing a “job description” for AI to clearly define expectations, measures of success, and accountability. Eric and Darrell also explore how AI may automate some work while creating entirely new roles and opportunities for professionals.

This is Part 1 of an ongoing conversation focused on helping Scrum Teams thoughtfully integrate AI while staying grounded in empiricism, collaboration, and value delivery.

Key Learnings

• Why there is no single model for integrating AI into Scrum—and why experimentation matters
• How Scrum’s inspect-and-adapt mindset applies directly to AI usage
• Practical examples of AI as a research assistant, DevOps helper, and development tool
• Why teams must validate AI outputs to manage bias, accuracy, and compliance
• How defining a job description for AI helps measure effectiveness and valu
• Why AI is better viewed as a teammate or tool, not a replacement for people
• How AI may eliminate some tasks while creating new roles and opportunities

Links

Webinar - Managing Your AI Teammate: Turning AI from Experiment to Strategic Partner

Whitepaper - The AI Teammate Framework: A Four-Step Framework for Product Teams