Foresight Over Firefighting: Being Proactive in a Reactive World | Rootly’s JJ Tang
Customer obsession is your greatest incident response tool
Still stuck in a reactive loop with incident response, only fixing problems after they happen?
JJ Tang, Co-founder and CEO of Rootly, joins host Andrew Zigler to reveal how to shift beyond reactive, leveraging powerful AI and an often-underestimated skill in engineering: genuine customer empathy. Discover how these elements are crucial for navigating the complexities of modern infrastructure and shaping the future of incident management.
JJ explores the forefront of incident response automation, discussing how to integrate shiny new tech like AI safely and why deep customer understanding is key to building trust and reliability. Learn about the common pitfalls leaders face, the cultural shifts needed for proactive reliability, and how teams can make our digital world safer.
"So we went through and we deleted every single dashboard, every single product measurement tool we had, and we said the only way we are going to learn from customers is we are going to get on the phone with them... And that culturally has set the stage for us to be incredibly customer centric..." —JJ Tang
The Download
The Download is where the rubber hits the road (or the fingers hit the keys, I suppose) ⌨️
1. OpenAI makes waves with $3 billion Windsurf buy 🌊
OpenAI is diving deep into the coding waters with its acquisition of Windsurf, an AI-assisted coding tool, for a cool $3 billion (🤯).This move not only marks OpenAI's largest acquisition to date but also signals its intent to fortify its position in the competitive landscape of agentic coding. With Cursor already making waves, will OpenAI's latest acquisition help them sink the competition?
Read: OpenAI agrees to buy Windsurf for about $3 billion
2. Amazon takes to the skies with Kuiper satellites 🚀
Amazon has officially launched its first Kuiper internet satellites, stepping into the competitive arena against Starlink. This move aims to provide better internet access, particularly for underserved rural areas. As the internet becomes even more ubiquitous, enhanced connectivity can empower remote teams and improve collaboration. More players in the satellite internet space could drive innovation and service improvements, something that could really benefit the world (assuming we don’t bury ourselves under space junk!)
Read: Amazon launches first Kuiper internet satellites, taking on Starlink
3. Don't let AI do all your thinking for you 🧠💤
AI tools are becoming daily companions and the risk of skill atrophy looms large. This article from
highlights the signs of over-reliance on AI, like skipping error logs in favor of quick fixes. The takeaway? Sometimes (often? always!), struggle is essential for growth. So, while AI can be a helpful copilot, don’t forget to keep your critical thinking skills sharp. After all, the next time AI fails you, will you have the know-how to navigate?Read: Avoiding Skill Atrophy in the Age of AI
Don’t miss it: insights from past guests on AI’s future 👥💭
Join host Andrew Zigler for a live 35-minute virtual panel on the future of AI in the SDLC. The webinar will feature past podcast guests Birgitta Böckeler from Thoughtworks and Adnan Ijaz from Amazon Q, along with expertise from Atlassian. We’ll dive into how leading teams are pushing the boundaries of Copilot: experimenting with agentic AI, measuring real impact, and driving meaningful DevEx gains.
All registrants will receive the full recording plus early access to The DevEx Guide to AI-Driven Software Development, filled with tools, prompts, and insights from our recent AI Collaboration Matrix survey here on Dev Interrupted. Don’t miss out!
4. The growing AI gap between developers and managers 📉
We love this article on LeadDev from tech journalist Jennifer Riggins that reveals a frustrating disconnect between developers and their bosses regarding generative AI's impact on productivity. While leaders tout AI as a game-changer, only a third of developers report significant gains. The lesson? Successful AI adoption requires clear guidelines and room for experimentation.
Read: Why developers and their bosses disagree over generative AI
