Dev Interrupted

Sagar Batchu, co-founder and CEO of Speakeasy, delves into the intricate relationship between organizational structure and API design. He emphasizes the importance of treating internal APIs as first-class products and discusses how Conway's Law impacts API success. The conversation shifts to the rise of Agent Experience (AX) in an AI-driven landscape, underlining the need for rigorous standards and documentation. Batchu also introduces the Model Context Protocol (MCP), showcasing how prioritizing developer productivity today can pave the way for future AI advancements.

Tanya Janca, a cybersecurity expert with 28 years of experience and author of "Alice and Bob Learn Secure Coding," sheds light on the pitfalls of treating security as an afterthought. She emphasizes the need to redefine security as an ongoing practice rather than a final gate. Tanya shares insights on enhancing developer empowerment through clear guidelines and internal knowledge libraries. The conversation also touches on the evolving relationship between AI integration and security, advocating for continuous learning and critical evaluation of AI-generated code.

Brooke Hartley Moy, the CEO and co-founder of Infactory, shares her insights from her background at Google and Samsung on building trust in AI systems. She tackles common misconceptions businesses have about AI and highlights the importance of high-quality data. The conversation delves into the 'black box' problem, domain expertise in various fields, and the limitations of large language models. Brooke argues for a balanced approach to AI that combines technical knowledge with ethical considerations, ensuring reliable outcomes in critical cases.

Adnan Ijaz, Director of Product Management for Next Gen Developer Experience at AWS, leads the charge on Amazon Q, a groundbreaking tool in AI development. He dives into how autonomous AI can transform workflows, urging developers to shift from task-centric coding to strategic architecture. The conversation highlights the importance of quantifying AI's impact on productivity, advocating for responsible implementation and human oversight. Ijaz also shares insights on mentoring AI to enhance software development, ensuring innovation without losing credibility.

Thanos Diacakis, a seasoned fractional CTO and engineering coach with over 25 years at companies like Uber, shares insights on optimizing engineering teams. He debunks the myth of 'technical debt' and critiques the 'feature factory' mentality. Thanos discusses practical strategies for improving team dynamics, aligning technical challenges with business goals, and fostering a culture of happiness in engineering. He emphasizes the need for sustainable practices and adapting to the shifts caused by AI in the tech landscape.

Animesh Mishra, a Senior Solutions Engineer at Diffblue, joins the conversation to explore the unfulfilled promise of Test Driven Development (TDD). He discusses how deterministic AI can bridge the gap between theory and practice, potentially writing two years' worth of tests for legacy code in just two hours. Animesh also highlights the importance of building trust in AI for testing, emphasizing how it can alleviate developers' cognitive strain while improving software quality and efficiency.

David Mytton, CEO of ArcJet and founder of Console.dev, dives into the clash between fast-paced development and security needs. He critiques the common approach of just adding security tools, emphasizing that true success requires alignment between developers and security teams. David highlights the significance of intuitive developer-centric design and the right incentives to foster a secure culture. He also shares insights on how to market security tools effectively and empower developers to prioritize security without hindering innovation.

Dr. Maryam Ashoori, Senior Director of Product Management for watsonx at IBM, dives into the evolving landscape of AI in enterprise applications. She emphasizes the pressing skill gap among developers and the necessity for improved tools to tackle AI's complexity. The discussion highlights the rise of no-code development as a game-changer, enabling broader access to software development. Ashoori also explores the impactful role of AI agents and the transformation of engineers into strategic roles that balance innovation with management of AI tools.

Rob Zuber, CTO of CircleCI, and Tara Hernandez, VP of Developer Productivity at MongoDB, dive deep into the dynamics of team alignment during crises. They explore the contrasting AI landscapes for startups versus larger firms, the vital balance between AI and human learning in software development, and the importance of metrics like developer velocity in fostering effective teamwork. Discussions also touch on the impact of hackathons on innovation and the evolving role of quality assurance in continuous deployment, painting a vivid picture of modern engineering challenges.

Vikram Chatterji, co-founder and CEO of Galileo, shares insights on future-proofing AI strategies. He tackles the dilemma of adopting AI to remain competitive while justifying expenses. Vikram stresses the need for clear evaluation frameworks and prioritizing use cases based on business needs. The discussion also covers the importance of understanding a company's cultural context in AI deployment and how traditional firms differ from tech companies in their AI integration approaches.