Off Script

In this episode, Josh and James explore the rising costs of AI, strategies for managing AI spend, model selection, token optimization, and controlling AI infrastructure costs. They share practical tips and insights for organizations looking to optimize their AI investments. AI spend and cost management Token optimization and behavioral tweaks Model selection and routing strategies Budgeting for AI...

In this episode of Off Script, James, Josh, and guest Jon Milsom explore the rapid advancements in AI as a tool to refactor codebases, and how teams are leveraging AI to innovate, solve problems, and improve processes across industries. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to AI in Tech Consulting 01:03 The Evolution of AI and Its Impact 03:13 AI Week: Experimentation and Learning 04:39 Personal Projects:...

Most businesses underestimate how quickly AI is transforming every industry, and those who don’t adapt risk falling behind. In this episode, Tim Lewis, CTO of innovative AI consultancy Zygens, shares how organizations can harness agentic AI to unlock rapid, low-risk value that scales. Discover how small, agile teams can lead the AI revolution by focusing on strategic initiatives like governance, s...

In this episode of Off Script, Josh, James, and Tom discuss the importance of innovation in Leeds and the broader UK, emphasizing the need for representation and funding for technology outside of London, triggered by an article Tom wrote titled "National purpose on AI" . Tom shares insights on the historical context of innovation in Leeds, the role of academic research, and the success stories of...

In this episode of Off Script, hosts Josh and James delve into the contentious topic of whether AI is destroying open source software. They discuss the recent layoffs at Tailwind, a popular open-source project, and how AI's ability to generate code from existing libraries is impacting the sustainability of such projects. The conversation highlights the ethical implications of AI's use of open-sour...

In this episode, Josh and James discuss the challenges of balancing family life with demanding leadership roles. They share personal experiences of parenthood, the importance of setting boundaries, and the need for a supportive work culture that accommodates family responsibilities. Their conversation highlights the necessity of effective time management, prioritization, and the emotional adjustme...

In this conversation, James and Josh discuss the transition from prototype apps to production-ready products, emphasising the challenges and opportunities presented by vibe coding. They explore the implications of new coding tools, the importance of version control, and the need for security measures. The discussion highlights the evolving landscape of software engineering and the potential for ne...

In this episode, James and Josh discuss the troubling nature of paid awards in the tech industry. They explore how these awards often prioritize profit over genuine recognition, leading to feelings of exploitation among nominees. Thier conversation delves into the implications of such practices on community inclusivity and the need for a reevaluation of how recognition is given in the industry. Pa...

In this episode, James and Josh discuss the significance of pen and paper in an increasingly digital world. They explore various note-taking techniques, the benefits of physical writing for memory retention, and the importance of managing mental load through effective organization. Their conversation highlights the balance between urgency and importance in task management, emphasizing the need for...

In this episode, Josh and James discuss the concept of user manuals for humans, exploring how individuals can communicate their preferences, boundaries, and working styles to foster better collaboration in teams. They emphasize the importance of psychological safety, effective communication, and the role of writing in self-reflection and team dynamics. The conversation also touches on managing exp...

Josh and James discuss the implications of Test-Driven Development (TDD) in the context of the rapid advancements in AI technology. They explore how AI tools are changing the landscape of software development, the challenges of maintaining quality in fast-paced environments, and the importance of balancing speed with safety. Their conversation also touches on the future of coding, the training of...

In this weeks episode, Josh and James discuss the challenges of securing a job in the tech industry, particularly focusing on the impact of ageism, evolving expectations for tech roles, and the influence of AI on the interview process. They cover the importance of communication skills, personal branding, and the need for candidates to be honest about their abilities. The discussion also highlights...

In this weeks episode, Josh and James delve into the complexities of the discourse surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), exploring the polarising perspectives that dominate discussions. In a balanced debate, they emphasise the importance of understanding AI as a tool rather than a stand-alone entity, highlighting the need for responsible usage and ethical considerations in its development and...

In this conversation, Josh and James discuss AI interoperability and the concept of MCP (Model Context Protocol). They explore the initial skepticism surrounding MCP, the process of building custom MCP servers, and the importance of permissions and security in AI integrations. The discussion also touches on the future of AI integration in various applications, particularly in shopping experiences,...

How do you structure and run the perfect tech conference? What things are involved behind the scenes that attendees don’t see? What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own event? We’re glad you asked! This episode is an All Day Hey! Special where hosts, Josh and James spill the beans on what goes on behind the All Day Hey! conference curtain, how we can collectively safeguard t...

What is a discovery workshop and how can they be used to work through problems in your business? In this episode, James and Josh discuss how they've run them in the past and offer some tips and tricks to getting the most out of these sessions. Listen now for a brand new instalment of Off Script! 00:00 Introduction 01:00 What is a discovery workshop 02:00 Using Miro 02:30 Slideument - slide deck wi...

It’s time to reflect and plan ahead! James and Josh look back at a tumultuous 2024 in tech and ask the big questions about where things are heading. What were the highlights? What lessons can we learn? How do we prepare for 2025? Listen now as we kick-off the year with a brand new instalment of Off Script! In praise of indie conferences The struggles of smaller events AWS re:Invent conference Mult...

Part 2 has landed! For this outing of Off Script, Josh and James explore the ‘Future of engineering leadership’. This is an episode born from Q&A discussions and ideas at the recent Off Script Live event in Leeds. Dive into the modern challenges and the future direction of leadership in software engineering. AI Sustainability Company energy offset Energy demands of AI vs speed of innovation AI...

"It's not enough just being right. You've got to actually convince people of your way of thinking and take other people on the journey". Off Script is back with Josh and James hosting the first episode in a massive two-parter! They take lessons and hot topics from the recent Off Script Live event in Leeds. Dive into the modern challenges and the future direction of leadership in software engineeri...

The historically popular development process of “move fast and break things” has got the biggest companies in the world far. In the age of AI, can we still take these risks in the name of progress or are the potential repercussions too great? Josh and James are joined by guest Jack Sails to discuss. Recorded: 17th July 2024 02 Open AI fearless implementation 03 Is developing in a vacuum worse? 04...

Jack Sails (IMA) is back with James & Josh to discuss the recent WWDC24 Apple Developer conference. Was AI the word of the conference? Find out as they work through everything revealed this year and how it will affect their products going forward. In this episode: 00 Intro 01 Apple Intelligence 02 AI & Apple’s Privacy first approach 04 SIRI & Natural language AI integration 06 Natural...

Inspired by reading ‘Investments Unlimited’ and other books built around the principles of storytelling, James and Josh dive into DevSecOps and the bigger picture of shifting security left in this new episode of Off Script! In this episode: 00:00 Fictional Bugs - Investments Unlimited 01:00 DevSecOps 02:00 Moving security testing to the beginning 03:00 Reducing the friction of releases 04:00 Go th...

What do fish donuts, a passion for cooking and elaborate recipes have to do with productivity? Are you getting enough of a creative outlet around your busy schedule? Josh and James discuss the importance of side projects and how the variety they add to your week benefits your work-life balance and output! In this episode: 00:00 Welcome 01:00 What are our side projects? 02:00 Coding 03:00 Cooking 0...

What are AI risks? What do we need to consider when looking at our projects? Josh and James are are back for another episode of Off Script to dig deeper into this important topic! 00 - ISO 42001 Regulation 03 - What are the risks 04 - Hallucinations 05 - How do we critically assess the output 06 - Human in the loop 08 - Authorised API integrations 13 - Prompt Injection 14 - Sleeper agent LLM 18 -...

It’s time for our annual review of the year! In this episode, James and Josh discuss the many twists and turns that the last 12 months brought in this 2023 developer round-up. Thank you for listening this year. We’ll be back with more episodes in the New Year! 01 A look back at the year 03 The year AI went mainstream 05 Tech layoffs 07 Open AI x Microsoft partnership 08 M2 Apple Mac chips 09 Googl...