Have we reached the point where AI can genuinely build software without developers writing code?

In this episode of The Common Sense CTO Podcast, Matt Stephenson sits down with digital transformation and AI specialist Mark Strefford to explore a question that is rapidly moving from theory to practice: what happens when software development becomes an exercise in specification, validation and orchestration rather than programming?

Matt has been openly sceptical about claims that AI will replace experienced engineers. Mark, meanwhile, has spent the last two years building products almost entirely through AI-driven workflows. Their conversation reveals just how quickly the landscape is changing.

Together they discuss:

• Why AI coding has progressed dramatically in the last six months
• Whether developers are becoming designers, reviewers and orchestrators rather than coders
• The emergence of AI agents acting as members of a software delivery team
• Building AI-native software delivery lifecycles with automated governance and review processes
• Accountability, quality assurance and human oversight in AI-generated systems
• Why acceptance criteria and engineering discipline may matter more than ever
• The economics of AI-assisted development and the reality of token-based pricing
• Local models, edge AI and whether organisations will eventually run their own AI infrastructure
• The uncomfortable question of who is accountable when AI-generated software fails

Mark shares practical examples from his own workflow, including autonomous coding agents, AI-driven testing, multi-agent review processes and the surprising extent to which he now judges software by outcomes rather than source code.

For Matt, the conversation represents a shift in perspective. While many of the concerns around quality, governance and accountability remain, it is becoming increasingly difficult to dismiss the possibility that AI-assisted engineering is evolving into something much bigger.

If you're a CTO, engineering leader, architect, product professional or experienced developer trying to separate hype from reality, this episode offers an honest and nuanced discussion about where software engineering may be heading next.

Perhaps the biggest question isn't whether AI can write code.

It's whether our delivery processes, governance models and organisational structures are ready for what comes after that.

What can the origins of Agile teach us about building better software teams in the age of AI?

In this episode of The Common Sense CTO Podcast, Matt Stephenson reconnects with John Nolan, co-founder of Connextra and one of the pioneers behind the user story format that many teams still use today: "As a..., I want..., so that...".

John takes us back to the early days of eXtreme Programming (XP), pair programming and product thinking, sharing how Connextra embraced Agile from the ground up, long before it became mainstream.

Together, Matt and John explore what it was really like to build software at the turn of the century, challenge established practices, and create environments designed specifically for collaboration, learning and rapid feedback.

They discuss:

• The origins of the Connextra user story template
• How Agile emerged from the XP movement
• Why most organisations adopted only the easy parts of Agile
• The power of pair programming, feedback loops and disciplined engineering practices
• Hiring for curiosity, adaptability and mindset rather than just technical skills
• Why great software development is fundamentally about conversation and design, not simply writing code
• Whether AI augments or threatens modern software engineering practices
• Why some of the ideas from twenty-five years ago may be more relevant today than ever before

For anyone who remembers the early Agile community, this is a fascinating trip down memory lane. For those leading engineering organisations today, it is also a timely reminder that while tools evolve, many of the principles behind effective software delivery remain remarkably enduring.

Whether you're a CTO, engineering leader, product professional or experienced developer, this conversation offers valuable insights into where our industry has come from, where it may be heading, and what we should take with us into the next chapter.