AI is the future of the SDLC
Evolving to meet modern engineering productivity needs
Imagine saving as much as 75 days of work within a six-month period, all through intelligent automation.
Building on last week’s discussion about the critical shift from passive metrics to active productivity, host Ben Lloyd Pearson and LinearB co-founder Dan Lines now look forward to realities like this: 19% cycle time reduction and reclaiming significant engineering time. They move beyond common narratives surrounding AI to present actionable success stories and strategic approaches for engineering leaders seeking tangible results from their AI initiatives.
This episode tackles how to safely and effectively adopt AI across your software development lifecycle. Dan explains the necessity of programmatic rules and control, detailing how LinearB's gitStream technology empowers teams to define precisely when, where, and for whom AI operates. This ranges from AI-assisted code reviews with human oversight for critical services, to enabling senior developers to make judgment calls, and even automating merges for low-risk changes. Ben and Dan also explore the exciting future of agentic AI workflows, where AI agents could manage tasks from design and Jira story creation to coding and deployment, making developer control even more critical.
"The biggest thing that I see is lack of a strategic plan to roll out AI and automations to each area of the SDLC. As opposed to just purchasing Copilot and being like, 'That's what I did.'" —Dan Lines
The Download
The Download is your weekly engineering pep talk. 👏
1. Pentagon launches military-grade Y Combinator for tech startups 🎖️
The Pentagon is getting serious about tech innovation by launching its own version of Y Combinator, aimed at incubating software startups that cater to military needs. This shift signals a cultural embrace of defense tech on college campuses, reflecting a broader trend where software is increasingly seen as the backbone of national security. As the government modernizes its tech infrastructure, this could lead to a new wave of startups that operate like Silicon Valley's finest. Where will they find the next Palantir?
2. Japan's digital address system is a UX game-changer 🇯🇵
Japan has just rolled out a digital address system that simplifies the notoriously complex task of inputting addresses into online forms. By using a seven-digit code linked to physical locations, this initiative not only enhances user experience but also serves as a model for national infrastructure upgrades. This move could set a precedent for how public services can leverage tech to improve everyday life.
Read: Japan Post launches 'digital address' system
3. Reddit sues Anthropic over data scraping: who owns the conversation? ⚖️
Reddit is taking legal action against Anthropic for allegedly scraping its vast trove of user-generated content without permission. This lawsuit highlights a growing tension in the data economy, as platforms seek to monetize the free labor of their users while simultaneously trying to gatekeep access to that data. With AI tools increasingly turning to Reddit for training material, the question remains: how much longer can raw, uncurated content really be treated as a goldmine?
Read: Reddit sues Anthropic for scraping
Is your AI creating opportunities or bottlenecks? 🍾 (sponsored)
AI is everywhere in the SDLC, but what's the actual impact? LinearB surveyed over 400 developers (many from the Dev Interrupted audience) and found that 67% are already using AI to write code. Our new DevEx guide breaks down the opportunity costs, including adoption patterns, pitfalls, and the AI Collaboration Matrix that charts your own team’s journey with AI. Check out the guide to learn more.
4. AI skeptics are missing the point 🤔
In a thought-provoking piece, engineer Thomas Ptacek argues that skepticism around AI in software development often overlooks its transformative potential. Drawing parallels to past tech revolutions, he emphasizes that AI is not just a passing fad but a fundamental shift in how we approach coding and productivity. As we navigate this "wild west" of AI tools, the real question is: are we ready to embrace the change, or are we clinging to outdated paradigms?
Read: My AI Skeptic Friends Are All Nuts
