The AI Native Dev - from Copilot today to AI Native Software Development tomorrow Is Your Team Ready for AI-Driven Modernization? | Birgitta Böckeler
Sep 2, 2025
Birgitta Böckeler, a Distinguished Engineer at ThoughtWorks and expert in AI-driven software development, shares her insights on legacy modernization. She discusses the limitations of relying solely on AI for code migration, emphasizing the need for proven engineering practices. The conversation addresses the evolving roles of developers as managers of AI workflows and the need for a disciplined approach to refactor instead of rewrite. Birgitta highlights the importance of balancing AI creativity with deterministic tools for successful legacy transitions.
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Agentic Tools Expand Developer Workflows
- Agentic coding assistants can edit multiple files, run the terminal and execute tests autonomously.
- That expansion changes workflows and requires new developer processes to keep up.
Decompose Legacy Migrations Stepwise
- Break large legacy migrations into known intermediate steps instead of one big AI translation.
- Use AI to assist each step (reverse engineering, specification, forward engineering) under human supervision.
Client With Missing Backend Source
- ThoughtWorks worked with a client who had lost backend source code and couldn't upgrade their database.
- The team used AI and forensic techniques to understand and plan a migration without original source files.