Is AI actually helping us escape the build trap, or just helping us build the wrong things faster?

In this episode of Arguing Agile, hosts Brian Orlando and Om Patel discuss the new AI4Agile Practitioners Report 2026 from Scrum.org. The data reveals a startling trend: while 83% of practitioners have access to AI tools, the primary fear isn't job replacement, it's that AI is becoming a "supercharged way into the feature factory."

Listen or watch as we examine the report's key findings, including the gap between AI access (83%) and actual competence (only 15% received formal training). We discuss why the reported productivity gains (73.7%) might be masking the erosion of agile values like reflection and collaboration. Citing Melissa Perri's "Escaping the Build Trap," we explore how organizations are using AI to accelerate output without redesigning workflows to improve outcomes.

Key topics include:

• Why "speed of delivery" was never the real bottleneck
• What practitioners really fear
• The lack of workflow redesign in the AI era
• Five actionable questions to test if your team is escaping or accelerating

Tune in to learn how to ensure your AI adoption drives value, not just volume.

#Agile #ProductManagement #AI

Escaping the Build Trap by Melissa Perri, The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt, AI4Agile Practitioners Report 2026 by Scrum.org, Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore

LINKS
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596

INTRO MUSIC
Toronto Is My Beat
By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181)
CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)