What would it take to have your engineering team write almost no code by the end of 2026? That's the audacious goal tech leader Elliot Beaty set for his team after realizing the industry was at a critical inflection point. In this episode, Elliot takes us deep inside his journey of transforming a development team into an AI-first powerhouse, detailing the pivot that began with reluctance 3 and has led to a fundamental shift in how they build software.
The results have been staggering: a nearly 250% increase in team velocity, even while tackling more complex features. Elliot shares the landmark moment when an AI agent fixed a complex, two-day bug in just 30 minutes, all initiated from a single Jira ticket. He also reveals the surprisingly crucial role that high-quality documentation now plays, providing the essential context that AI agents need to succeed and turning a once-dreaded task into a high-value activity.
But this transformation isn't just about productivity gains. Elliot offers a hype-free look at the real-world challenges, from the "multitasking overload" and mental fatigue caused by managing AI agents to the unexpected bottleneck this new speed has created for his QA team. Learn why current AI is still largely "monkey see, monkey do," and how his team is wrestling with agents that often build
This conversation is an essential playbook for any technology leader, manager, or engineer. Tune in for a practical discussion on adoption strategies, the evolving role of the senior developer, and the potential engineering skills gap we may face in the coming decade.
