The Build System: Mission Impossible with Eno Reyes, CTO Factory AI

Autonomous software engineering requires shifting from simple code completion to goal-directed agents that operate within rigorous validation frameworks. Factory’s "Missions" platform exemplifies this by enabling agents to execute complex, multi-day tasks—such as legacy code migrations or feature development—by dynamically generating validation contracts and self-correcting through continuous feedback loops. Rather than relying on simple prompts, this approach treats agents as mechanics within a software factory, where success depends on well-defined validation criteria and the ability to handle the messy realities of brownfield codebases. As these systems evolve, the role of the engineer shifts toward designing the "constitution" of these agents—defining principles, trade-offs, and governance—effectively moving human labor up the stack to focus on architectural oversight and system design rather than manual implementation.