Ideas: slow down to speed up when working with AI agents

2026-06-02 · Source: The Pragmatic Engineer · Field: Technology & Digital — Software Development & Engineering, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning · Depth: Intermediate, quick

Summary

The author is preparing to deliver a keynote presentation titled "Slow down to speed up" at the Craft Conference in Budapest, Hungary. This presentation will explore observations related to the core theme, particularly highlighting the rapid and widespread adoption of AI coding tools, which are now utilized by "pretty much all software engineers." The conference features other prominent speakers, including software engineering legend Kent Beck, formal methods expert Hillel Wayne, author of 'Logic for Programmers', and Titus Winters, lead author of 'Software Engineering at Google'. The keynote's central idea stems from the author's recent reflections on the 'slow down to speed up' concept within the context of modern software development practices.

Key takeaway

For software engineers integrating AI coding tools, consider adopting a "slow down to speed up" mindset. Your team should prioritize deliberate integration and understanding of these rapidly adopted technologies over immediate, unoptimized deployment. This strategic pause can prevent future rework and ensure higher quality outcomes, ultimately accelerating your development cycles more effectively than a rushed approach.

Key insights

AI coding tools are rapidly adopted, prompting a "slow down to speed up" approach.

Principles

• Embrace "slow down to speed up".

Topics

• AI Agents
• AI Coding Tools
• Software Engineering
• Productivity
• Craft Conference

Best for: Software Engineer, AI Engineer, Director of AI/ML

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by The Pragmatic Engineer.