The Stack Overflow Podcast

Dimitri Stiliadis, CTO and co-founder of Endor Labs, dives into the evolving landscape of application security in the age of AI-generated code. He stresses the critical need for human oversight to manage vulnerabilities, highlighting the balance between security and efficiency. The conversation explores how AppSec scanning has adapted to handle the surge in AI code while also addressing the significance of context in vulnerability management. Dimitri advocates for integrating security at the platform level, ultimately ensuring safer AI adoption in software development.

Gil Feig, Co-founder and CTO of Merge, delves into the future of APIs by discussing how to streamline multiple third-party integrations into a single call. He emphasizes the importance of data normalization and shares insights on the role of AI in this process. Feig also explores the challenges of chaining agent calls and the necessity for human oversight in managing AI-generated code, all while highlighting the shift towards more efficient event mechanisms like webhooks. Expect a fascinating look at balancing innovation with practical engineering skills.

Ryan J. Salva, Senior Director of Product at Google, teams up with Peter O'Connor to dissect the evolving landscape of engineering teams amidst AI integration. They emphasize that quality documentation is crucial; poor documentation can lead AI astray. The duo advocates for standardized tools and hands-on practice to boost developer confidence in using AI. They also discuss fostering a culture that prioritizes learning over mere productivity. Leaders are encouraged to give teams the space to innovate and explore AI opportunities.

Ryan chats with Marco Palladino, CTO and co-founder of Kong, an all-in-one API platform. They dive into the explosive rise of AI agents, highlighting how these entities are reshaping API consumption. Marco introduces the MCP protocol, designed for agent-friendly interactions, and discusses the critical need for security, observability, and governance in AI systems. They explore the idea of agents becoming the primary users of the internet and how businesses must adapt to leverage these changes before they fall behind.

Pia Nilsson, GM for Backstage and head of Developer Experience at Spotify, shares her fascinating journey from social psychology to tech leadership. She discusses the rapid growth of Backstage, highlighting its role in enhancing developer experience and addressing tool sprawl. Pia reveals how AI is transforming workflows and the importance of integration for seamless service discovery. Delving into platform engineering, she emphasizes the balance between standardization and the need for innovative tools, showcasing how Backstage tailors solutions for various user needs.

Jeff Hollan, Director of Product at Snowflake, dives into how data enhances AI and AI agents. He explains the foundational role of organizational data in providing business context for LLMs. The conversation covers Snowflake's advanced features like vectorized retrieval and the separation of storage and compute for improved performance. Jeff highlights the new Snowflake Marketplace, including the integration of Stack Exchange data, and discusses future challenges in building reliable AI agents. It's a fascinating glimpse into the future of data-driven AI.

Sebastian Gierlinger, VP of Engineering at Storyblok, brings his wealth of experience in web development and headless CMS to the table. He dives into the differences between headless and traditional CMS, explaining the benefits of decoupling content from rendering. The conversation highlights security tradeoffs in composable architectures, emphasizing how to mitigate risks while using prototypes. Sebastian also shares insights on building effective teams and APIs, ensuring smooth migration and collaboration in the ever-evolving software landscape.

In this discussion, Karen Ng, EVP of Product at HubSpot, dives into the implementation of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for their CRM platform. She tackles the challenges of integrating this open-source protocol with existing systems and highlights the importance of establishing standards for agentic interactions. Karen also shares insights on fostering innovation through AI in developer tools, the evolution of user experience in CRM, and the role of open-source collaboration in driving technological advancements.

Geraint North, an AI and developer platforms fellow at Arm, discusses the future of chip design and its importance for mobile devices. He dives into the challenges of optimizing large language models for edge computing, ensuring performance and efficiency. The conversation highlights how Arm's new Lumex CSS Platform empowers developers, particularly in mobile gaming, by integrating AI without compromising user experience. North emphasizes the need for collaboration between chip designers and game developers to push the boundaries of mobile technology.

Discover how AI is revolutionizing software development and team dynamics. Explore the evolving role of AI in streamlining workflows and enhancing collaboration, enabling smaller teams to accomplish more with less overhead. Learn about the impact of AI-assisted tools on deployment processes, making them more efficient and agile. The conversation dives into the future of platform engineering, where real-time management and automation promise to reshape developer experiences. Tune in for insights that highlight AI's profound influence on the software lifecycle.