Restricting code touch to engineers turns AI into a bottleneck amplifier (www.aldovincenti.com)

A recent blog post highlights the inefficiencies of restricting code modifications solely to engineers, positing that such restrictions transform AI's potential for rapid development into a bottleneck. While AI can accelerate the process of shipping improvements, the exclusive access of engineers to code limits the collaborative capabilities of the entire team. This creates a scenario where, instead of alleviating bottlenecks, the process merely amplifies them. The solution proposed involves granting widespread code access while maintaining merges under the control of engineers, thus enabling all team members—technical and non-technical—to contribute while establishing safeguards against potential disruptions. The significance of this approach lies in its focus on addressing the hazards associated with changes that could affect external users or systems. By implementing a contract-marker system to identify external contracts within the codebase, teams can manage risks effectively. This system allows agents to pause changes when they threaten to disrupt pre-defined external contracts, ensuring that any modifications are validated by the appropriate stakeholders. The proposed method not only increases team collaboration but also minimizes missteps that could adversely impact integrations, ultimately allowing AI-driven projects to scale more efficiently while maintaining reliability for users.