Asynchronous & Unreliable - Conversations on The Edge of Software

Anne Currie

Welcome to Asynchronous and Unreliable, the new weekly podcast where we discuss the latest and most fascinating ideas in: software engineering, AI, management, leadership and communications, efficiency, operations, clouds, hyperscaling, resilience and sustainability. Our host is Anne Currie, tech veteran, co-author of O'Reilly's Building Green Software (on building cheaper and more flexible systems ready for the energy transition), The Cloud Native Attitude (on industry embrace of fast flow), and the science fiction Panopticon series (on killer robots in space, amongst other topics). Expect animated, friendly, and lighthearted discussions with some of the most renowned & interesting thinkers and practitioners in technology.  To find out about just a few of our amazing guests in 2026, visit our website.

  1. 6d ago

    Ep 12: How Can We Trust AI To Build Software? With Jon Berger

    ShownotesTitle: Navigating AI's Impact on Software Development and Trust O'Reilly author Anne Currie and Mission Critical software expert Jon Berger discuss the question of the moment: how can we entrust AI with the software that underpins everything? Join Anne and Jon as they explore real experiments, strategic implications, and practical steps for leaders in a rapidly evolving tech landscape. Main Topics: The future of AI in software engineering: rapid development and risk managementLeadership strategies for integrating AI with team dynamics and trustFundamental principles in software and life that AI may reshapePractical ways to start using AI safely in development cyclesThe importance of diversified oversight and multiple 'oracles' in AI deployment In this episode: How AI is changing the long-term landscape of human versus machine-built softwareWhy understanding your unique business context matters in adopting AI toolsThe significance of experimenting with low-risk AI integrations like code review and testingThe evolving concept of trust in AI-generated code and processesStrategic leadership tips: balancing risks, risks awareness, and fostering innovation Timestamps:  00:00 - Welcome and episode overview on AI's influence on software creation 01:22 - Transition from human-only to AI-assisted software engineering 02:48 - The importance of understanding your context as a leader 03:46 - Considerations for teams experimenting with AI in development 04:19 - Risks and opportunities in AI-driven software processes 05:50 - How speed and scale shape business decisions in AI-enabled environments 07:12 - The role of leadership in managing AI adoption and team dynamics 08:37 - Critical thinking about AI's impact on team sizes and productivity 10:30 - Market-driven decisions: layoffs and strategic AI integration 12:15 - Choosing trustworthy sources and multiple perspectives ("oracles") 13:55 - Balancing risk-taking and risk mitigation among teams 15:22 - Protect the future versus change the future in tech strategies 16:02 - Assessing environment and risk: high-stakes vs low-stakes AI applications 17:11 - Supporting existing systems with AI: deployment, testing, and feedback loops 19:22 - Trust, testing, and automation in the software lifecycle 21:23 - The changing nature of AI models and managing their variability 22:26 - The importance of agility and adaptability in a fast-changing AI landscape 23:05 - Valuing diverse team roles, including skeptics and early adopters 27:28 - Embracing AI as a black box: focusing on outcomes rather than process transparency 30:56 - Revisiting core principles of system resilience in an AI world 31:52 - How AI shifts decision-making trade-offs and process scaling 32:24 - Moving forward with trust: aligning business goals with AI capabilities 33:22 - Starting small: low-risk AI applications in testing and review 36:19 - Building confidence with modular, trustable AI-driven processes 39:38 - Actionable strategies for leaders: experiment, assess, and iterate safely Note: For further insights into managing AI in software development, stay tuned for upcoming episodes on security, testing, and team leadership adaptations. Full transcript

    41 min

  2. Jun 1

    Ep 11: How Did We Write an O'Reilly Tech Book? With Sara Bergman

    Building Green Software: Insights from the Authors or How To Write an O'Reilly Book This episode features Anne Currie and Sara Bergman discussing the journey of writing Building Green Software, the lessons learned, and the ongoing impact of eco-conscious software development in industry and academia. They share behind-the-scenes insights, the importance of collaboration, and practical advice for authors. Key Topics: The origin story and motivation behind Building Green SoftwareThe collaborative process of co-authoring a technical bookNavigating publishing logistics, contracts, and setting deadlinesThe significance of translating technical work into global accessibilityManaging co-authorship across different languages and cultural backgroundsThe impact of industry events like QCon in shaping publication timelinesPost-publication reflections: successes, challenges, and future updatesThe role of projects like the Green Software Foundation in shaping the book’s contentLessons learned about contractual liability and company formation for authorsThe balance between technical rigor, storytelling, and engaging communication in technical writing Shownotes and transcript #sustainability #greensoftware #writing #distributedsystems #technology #softwareengineering #oreilly #buildinggreensoftware #publishing

    42 min

  3. May 25

    Ep 10: What Is Platform Engineering and how will it work in an AI world? With Paula Kennedy

    ShownotesWhat Is Platform Engineering and how will it work in an AI world? An In-Depth Conversation with Paula Kennedy In this episode, Anne Currie chats with old friend and colleague Paula Kennedy, COO of platform engineering startup Syntasso about the fundamentals of platform engineering, its evolution, and its impact on organizations of all sizes. They explore how platform engineering helps manage the growing cognitive load in modern software development and operational practices. This episode is a great companion to episode 3 - Niki Manoledaki's on platform engineering at Grafana Labs Key Topics Covered: The origins and definition of platform engineering, tracing back to the earliest days of software developmentHow platform engineering bridges the gap between code creation and deployment infrastructureThe role of platform teams as enablers and marketplace providers within organizationsOwnership, responsibility, and the importance of platform as a product mindsetThe impact of AI on platform engineering, automation, and operational efficiencyAvoiding bottlenecks: scaling platform capabilities to meet rising code generation and operational demandsPractical insights into managing complexity, security, and costs across organization-wide platformsTimestamps: (0:00) – Introduction to platform engineering and tools for easy editing of recordings(3:00) – Defining platform engineering as the space between code and infrastructure(6:00) – The evolution from traditional IT to DevOps and modern platform teams(9:00) – How cognitive load and responsibility are distributed across teams(12:00) – Historical perspective: from separate dev and ops teams to integrated platforms(15:00) – The role of ownership and product mindset in platform success(20:00) – The marketplace model for platform services, enabling internal contribution(23:00) – The importance of clear boundaries and ownership akin to cloud provider models(28:00) – The influence of AI and agents on future platform strategies(36:00) – Recognizing system bottlenecks and scaling horizontally as a key challenge(37:00) – The timeless nature of operational principles and organizational constraints For transcript

    35 min

  4. May 17

    Ep 9: Should Tech Learn More Lessons From History? With Jamie Dobson

    Jamie Dobson and Anne Currie Join us in this enlightening episode as Anne Currie chats with Jamie Dobson, co-founder of Container Solutions and author of Rebels, Visionaries, and Machines. They dive into the history of technology, the evolution of the tech industry, and the challenges and opportunities in communicating complex ideas in tech today. This conversation offers valuable insights for tech enthusiasts, educators, and communicators alike. Key Topics Covered: The history of cloud computing and its cultural impact since 1799How tech conferences like Software Circus aimed to reshape industry conversationsThe ethical and social implications of AI and automation in the workforceThe importance of understanding problem context before choosing toolsStrategies for explaining complex technical ideas without oversimplificationLessons from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein applied to tech ethics and responsibilityThe challenge of capturing audience attention in storytelling and educationHow to communicate the essence of microservices, patterns, and cloud-native concepts effectivelyReflecting on the role of stories and analogies in making tech more accessible #tech #AI #techconferences #cloudnative #techcommunications

    30 min

  5. May 14

    Ep 8: When Will AI Write All The (Mission Critical) Software? With Jon Berger

    Most companies are underestimating how quickly AI will transform software development. When AI can seemingly write mission-critical code, what does that mean for the future of engineering, quality, and human expertise? Anne Currie and Jon Berger discuss Martin Davidson’s groundbreaking insights in episode 7 on creating mission critical software using AI Will AI-driven software eliminate the need for traditional coding teams alogether? Is all the system software going to get re-written in Rust? What about maintenance and operations? Shownotes & transcript #tech #podcast #softwareengineering #AI #sustainability #green #software #distributedsystems #rustlang

    27 min

  6. May 10

    Ep 7: Can AI Ever Create Mission Critical Software? With Martin Davidson

    Join host Anne Currie in this episode of "Asynchronous and Unreliable," where she talks with veteran technologist Martin Davidson about his journey from telecommunications to AI-driven software development. Discover how AI looks set to reshape the software industry, including by building high-quality, production-ready code and redefining testing, design, and organizational structures. - Martin Davidson’s career evolution from high-resilience telco software to AI and machine learning  - The concept of oracle-driven development for AI-generated code quality  - Practical experimentation with rewriting libraries and building emulators in Rust using AI - The extension of traditional unit testing to fuzz testing, differential testing, and other AI-powered validation  - The importance of defining success criteria ("what good looks like") upfront in AI projects  - Parallelization strategies in AI and software architectures: from agents to cores and teams  - Organizational implications of AI-driven productivity increases and automation  - Future outlook for legacy software companies amid AI disruptions  - The cultural and economic impacts of AI on software engineering careers and industry stability #tech #podcast #softwareengineering #AI #sustainability #green #software #distributedsystems shownotes and transcript: https://www.asynchronousunreliable.com/asynchronous-and-unreliable-e7

    1h 8m
  7. Ep 6: What Does The Energy Transition Mean for Software? With Sara Bergman

    May 7

    Ep 6: What Does The Energy Transition Mean for Software? With Sara Bergman

    ShownotesDiscover how the rapid shift from fossil fuels to renewables, especially solar and wind, is shaping the tech industry and global economy. Hosted by Anne Currie and Sara Bergman, this episode explores the exponential growth of renewable energy, the role of software in optimizing energy use, and the geopolitical and environmental implications of this transition. Main insights: The exponential rise of solar energy generation and its implicationsThe importance of grid management and energy storage solutions in a renewable-powered worldHow different countries are adopting strategies like East-West data centers in China and time-of-use tariffs in India to optimize renewable energy consumptionThe role of software in enabling carbon-aware computing and energy efficiencyChallenges and opportunities of integrating variable renewable sources into the energy mixThe historical context of fossil fuels as first gear in industrial development and the move towards more complex, resilient energy systemsInnovations like balcony solar panels and plug-in solar devices, and their potential for widespread adoptionThe geopolitical considerations, including nuclear debates in Sweden and France's energy independenceHow increasing renewable infrastructure can accelerate economic development, especially in Africa Shownotes and transcript #tech #podcast #softwareengineering #AI #sustainability #green #software #distributedsystems

    28 min

  8. Apr 30

    Ep 5: What does it take to deliver 6 nines resilience and how does AI fit in? With Jon Berger

    Anne & networking expert Jon Berger discuss the difficulties of understanding exponentials and how that leads to challenges  when it comes to setting targets for both resilience and efficiency. If you wonder why people have no real clue about the nines resilience scale, this is why.

    39 min
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About

Welcome to Asynchronous and Unreliable, the new weekly podcast where we discuss the latest and most fascinating ideas in: software engineering, AI, management, leadership and communications, efficiency, operations, clouds, hyperscaling, resilience and sustainability. Our host is Anne Currie, tech veteran, co-author of O'Reilly's Building Green Software (on building cheaper and more flexible systems ready for the energy transition), The Cloud Native Attitude (on industry embrace of fast flow), and the science fiction Panopticon series (on killer robots in space, amongst other topics). Expect animated, friendly, and lighthearted discussions with some of the most renowned & interesting thinkers and practitioners in technology.  To find out about just a few of our amazing guests in 2026, visit our website.

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