“Engineers are becoming sorcerers” | The future of software development with OpenAI’s Sherwin Wu | Lenny's Podcast: Product | Career | Growth

The discussion centers on the transformative impact of AI on software engineering and the broader implications for startups and management. Sherwin Wu, Head of Engineering for OpenAI's API, shares insights on how AI tools like Codex are reshaping engineers' roles, with 95% using Codex daily and a 70% increase in PRs among Codex users. The conversation explores the shift towards engineers becoming "tech leads," managing AI agents, and the potential for a "golden age" of B2B SaaS driven by AI-enabled micro-startups. Wu advises against solely relying on customer feedback due to the rapid evolution of AI models, advocating for building with future capabilities in mind. He also touches on the importance of business process automation and OpenAI's commitment to fostering an open ecosystem through its API and platform.

Outlines

Part 1: AI's Impact on Engineering

Part 2: Technical Workflows, Agents, and Reviews

Part 3: Management and Organizational Strategy

Part 4: AI Adoption and Implementation

Part 5: Future Outlook and Market Opportunities

Part 6: OpenAI Mission and Developer Tools

Part 7: Personal Advice and Lightning Round

Sign in to continue reading, translating and more.

Continue

“Engineers are becoming sorcerers” | The future of software development with OpenAI’s Sherwin Wu

Lenny's Podcast: Product | Career | Growth

Part 1: AI's Impact on Engineering

The Rise of AI-Powered Engineering and the Golden Age of B2B SaaS

The Stress of AI Agents and Building for the Future of AI Models

AI's Impact on Engineering: Codex Use and Increased PRs at OpenAI

Trusting AI in Code and the Evolving Role of the Software Engineer

Engineers as Wizards: Managing AI Agents and the Sorcerer's Apprentice Analogy

Part 2: Technical Workflows, Agents, and Reviews

The Stress of Managing AI Agents and the Importance of Context

Codex-Driven Code Reviews and Automation of CI Processes

Model Diversity in Code Review and the Changing Role of Engineering Managers

Part 3: Management and Organizational Strategy

AI's Impact on Management: Empowering Top Performers and Managing Larger Teams

The One-Person Billion-Dollar Startup and the Golden Age of B2B SaaS

The Support Challenges of a Billion-Dollar Startup and the Rise of Micro-Companies

Distribution and Management Lessons in the AI Era

Management Philosophy: Empowering Engineers as Surgeons and Anticipating Blockers

Part 4: AI Adoption and Implementation

Negative ROI on AI Deployments and the Importance of Bottom-Up Adoption

Building an Internal AI Tiger Team and Avoiding Top-Down Mandates

Empowering AI Champions and the Pitfalls of Blindly Following Customer Feedback

Part 5: Future Outlook and Market Opportunities

The Models Will Eat Your Scaffolding: Adapting to Rapid AI Advancements

Building for the Future: Key Takeaways for AI Developers

The Future of AI: Longer Task Coherence and Multimodal Audio Improvements

The Underrated Opportunity of Business Process Automation with AI

OpenAI's Ecosystem Platform Philosophy and Startup Opportunities

Part 6: OpenAI Mission and Developer Tools

OpenAI's Mission: Spreading the Benefits of AI to All of Humanity

Building on the OpenAI API: Tools and Abstractions

Part 7: Personal Advice and Lightning Round

The Excitement of the Next Few Years in Tech and the Startup World

Managing Stress and Anxiety in the Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape

Lightning Round: Book Recommendations

Lightning Round: TV Show Recommendation

Lightning Round: Favorite Product Discovery

Lightning Round: Favorite Life Motto

Lightning Round: Surprising Variables in House Pricing

Connecting with Sherwin Wu and Supporting OpenAI

“Engineers are becoming sorcerers” | The future of software development with OpenAI’s Sherwin Wu

Lenny's Podcast: Product | Career | Growth

Part 1: AI's Impact on Engineering

00:00The Rise of AI-Powered Engineering and the Golden Age of B2B SaaS

The Rise of AI-Powered Engineering and the Golden Age of B2B SaaS

00:31The Stress of AI Agents and Building for the Future of AI Models

The Stress of AI Agents and Building for the Future of AI Models

01:11AI's Impact on Engineering: Codex Use and Increased PRs at OpenAI

AI's Impact on Engineering: Codex Use and Increased PRs at OpenAI

05:03Trusting AI in Code and the Evolving Role of the Software Engineer

Trusting AI in Code and the Evolving Role of the Software Engineer

07:21Engineers as Wizards: Managing AI Agents and the Sorcerer's Apprentice Analogy

Engineers as Wizards: Managing AI Agents and the Sorcerer's Apprentice Analogy

Part 2: Technical Workflows, Agents, and Reviews

12:27The Stress of Managing AI Agents and the Importance of Context

The Stress of Managing AI Agents and the Importance of Context

15:08Codex-Driven Code Reviews and Automation of CI Processes

Codex-Driven Code Reviews and Automation of CI Processes

17:18Model Diversity in Code Review and the Changing Role of Engineering Managers

Model Diversity in Code Review and the Changing Role of Engineering Managers

Part 3: Management and Organizational Strategy

19:48AI's Impact on Management: Empowering Top Performers and Managing Larger Teams

AI's Impact on Management: Empowering Top Performers and Managing Larger Teams

23:33The One-Person Billion-Dollar Startup and the Golden Age of B2B SaaS

The One-Person Billion-Dollar Startup and the Golden Age of B2B SaaS

28:12The Support Challenges of a Billion-Dollar Startup and the Rise of Micro-Companies

The Support Challenges of a Billion-Dollar Startup and the Rise of Micro-Companies

30:57Distribution and Management Lessons in the AI Era

Distribution and Management Lessons in the AI Era

32:25Management Philosophy: Empowering Engineers as Surgeons and Anticipating Blockers

Management Philosophy: Empowering Engineers as Surgeons and Anticipating Blockers

Part 4: AI Adoption and Implementation

35:18Negative ROI on AI Deployments and the Importance of Bottom-Up Adoption

Negative ROI on AI Deployments and the Importance of Bottom-Up Adoption

37:59Building an Internal AI Tiger Team and Avoiding Top-Down Mandates

Building an Internal AI Tiger Team and Avoiding Top-Down Mandates

41:56Empowering AI Champions and the Pitfalls of Blindly Following Customer Feedback

Empowering AI Champions and the Pitfalls of Blindly Following Customer Feedback

Part 5: Future Outlook and Market Opportunities

44:13The Models Will Eat Your Scaffolding: Adapting to Rapid AI Advancements

The Models Will Eat Your Scaffolding: Adapting to Rapid AI Advancements

48:02Building for the Future: Key Takeaways for AI Developers

Building for the Future: Key Takeaways for AI Developers

50:26The Future of AI: Longer Task Coherence and Multimodal Audio Improvements

The Future of AI: Longer Task Coherence and Multimodal Audio Improvements

53:47The Underrated Opportunity of Business Process Automation with AI

The Underrated Opportunity of Business Process Automation with AI

57:23OpenAI's Ecosystem Platform Philosophy and Startup Opportunities

OpenAI's Ecosystem Platform Philosophy and Startup Opportunities

Part 6: OpenAI Mission and Developer Tools

1:00:51OpenAI's Mission: Spreading the Benefits of AI to All of Humanity

OpenAI's Mission: Spreading the Benefits of AI to All of Humanity

1:05:22Building on the OpenAI API: Tools and Abstractions

Building on the OpenAI API: Tools and Abstractions

Part 7: Personal Advice and Lightning Round

1:08:26The Excitement of the Next Few Years in Tech and the Startup World

The Excitement of the Next Few Years in Tech and the Startup World

1:10:06Managing Stress and Anxiety in the Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape

Managing Stress and Anxiety in the Rapidly Evolving AI Landscape

1:11:46Lightning Round: Book Recommendations

Lightning Round: Book Recommendations

1:13:50Lightning Round: TV Show Recommendation

Lightning Round: TV Show Recommendation

1:14:45Lightning Round: Favorite Product Discovery

Lightning Round: Favorite Product Discovery

1:15:55Lightning Round: Favorite Life Motto

Lightning Round: Favorite Life Motto

1:16:22Lightning Round: Surprising Variables in House Pricing

Lightning Round: Surprising Variables in House Pricing

1:18:38Connecting with Sherwin Wu and Supporting OpenAI

Connecting with Sherwin Wu and Supporting OpenAI