Patrick Collison on Stripe’s Early Choices, Smalltalk, and What Comes After Coding

Patrick Collison, CEO of Stripe, discusses the evolution of programming paradigms and the potential of AI in software development. He reflects on his early programming experiences with Smalltalk and Lisp, highlighting the advantages of interactive development environments. Collison emphasizes the importance of well-designed APIs and data models, citing Stripe's experience with MongoDB and Ruby as examples of consequential early technology choices. The conversation explores how AI could enhance code refactoring and improve developer productivity, while also addressing the broader question of why increased investment in technology hasn't yet translated into significant productivity gains. He also touches on Stripe's V2 APIs, designed to unify core abstractions and improve customer experiences.