Ever wondered what senior engineers actually talk about behind closed doors?

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael and Ben open up the conversations developers usually only hear behind closed doors. We're talking how real engineering teams review code, manage dependencies, keep tests reliable and prevent their codebases from turning into chaos.

Live and in real time, they break down the habits and workflows that make software durable: using reusable components to avoid reinvention, building integration tests that catch silent failures, choosing versioning strategies that won’t break downstream users, and writing documentation that actually accelerates collaboration.

Tune into episode 25 for a wide-ranging conversation about:
• What code reviews really accomplish
• Why reusable components reduce long-term friction
• How dependency management goes wrong (and how to keep it stable)
• Why integration tests are the backbone of reliable software
• How versioning choices shape releases
• The role of clear documentation in team velocity
• Why internal utilities need user-centric design
• How clean codebases speed up onboarding and feedback

If your work touches code, this episode gives you the kind of insight you’d normally only get sitting next to seasoned engineers at the office.

What happens when AI stops generating answers and starts deciding what’s true?

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael Berk and Ben Wilson dive into GPT-5’s growing role as an interpreter of information — not just generating text, but analyzing news, assessing credibility, and shaping how we understand truth itself.

They unpack how reasoning capabilities, source reliability, and human feedback intersect to build, or break trust in AI systems. The conversation also examines the ethical stakes of explainability, the dangers of “sycophantic” AI behavior and the future of intelligence in a market-driven ecosystem.

Tune in to Episode 24 for a wide-ranging conversation about:
• How GPT-5’s reasoning is redefining “understanding” in AI
• Why explainability is critical for trust and transparency
• The risks of AI echo chambers and feedback bias
• The role of human judgment in AI alignment and evaluation
• What it means for machines to become arbiters of truth

Whether you build, study, or rely on AI systems, this episode will leave you questioning how far we’re willing to let our models think for us.

How to fight complexity creep and build software that stays simple, even as it grows.

Every engineer knows the struggle: a simple system slowly buried under complexity.

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael Berk and Ben Wilson break down how complexity creeps into code, dependencies and design. And why simplicity almost always wins. They cover how iteration, testing and mentorship can keep software maintainable. So where Gen AI can (and can’t) help reduce friction?

Tune in to Episode 23 for a wide-ranging conversation about:
• Complexity shows up in code, dependencies and design decisions
• Incremental iteration helps map the solution space more effectively
• Testing isn’t just QA, it’s how we preserve maintainability
• Gen AI can simplify coding tasks, but it still needs human oversight
• Mentorship remains one of the best ways to fight chaos in code

If you’ve ever wrestled with “complexity creep,” this one’s for you.

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael and Ben draw surprising parallels between military strategy and consulting practice. They break down how principles like competence, trust-building and ethical engagement translate into stronger client relationships and long-term success.

From showing quiet confidence to making clients aware of their pitfalls, the discussion explores how consulting is as much about empathy and communication as it is about analysis. Along the way, they highlight why being “nice” is not a soft skill but a strategic one.

Tune in to Episode 22 for a wide-ranging conversation about:
• Why competence and confidence create credibility in client work
• How to earn trust by showing clients their blind spots
• Why ethical guidelines are non-negotiable for lasting relationships
• The role of empathy, communication, and culture in consulting success

If you’ve ever wondered how to approach consulting with both rigor and humanity, this episode is for you.

Passion for the product, not compensation, is what keeps the best engineers engaged.

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael and Ben sit down with Aleksandr Patrushev, Head of DevRel at Nebius, to explore the evolving role of Developer Relations and the culture that sustains technical talent. From modernizing hardware in data centers to weighing the trade-offs between self-hosted and managed services, Alexander shares how knowledge sharing, process and passion drive both DevRel and product management.

Tune in to Episode 21 for a wide-ranging conversation about:
• Why DevRel is built on knowledge sharing and community impact
• The ongoing challenges of modernizing hardware in cloud + AI systems
• How culture influences technical staff retention and motivation

If you’re interested in the future of cloud + AI services and how culture shapes technology, this episode is for you.

Behind every robust AI system is a solution accelerator that makes complex development smarter.

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael and Ben dive into the role of solution accelerators in bridging the gap between production-ready software and simpler resources like blogs or cookbooks. They discuss frameworks vs. tools, the challenges of maintainability and how forward deployed engineers can build reusable components.

Tune in to Episode 20 for a wide-ranging conversation about:
• Why solution accelerators streamline development
• How to balance abstraction and usability in frameworks and APIs
• Testing strategies that support quality and extensibility
• Where AI tools like GitHub Copilot fit into modern workflows

If you’re focused on building software that lasts while delivering business value, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Free Form AI, Michael and Ben explore the evolution of prompt engineering and the rise of auto-optimization in AI. We discuss how agents can execute tasks autonomously, why human oversight remains essential and how defining success criteria shapes model performance.

Tune in to Episode 19 for a wide-ranging conversation about:

• Why prompt engineering still matters in an era of automation

• How auto-optimization could replace traditional data annotation

• How AI is augmenting business analytics and software workflows

If you’re interested in where AI agents and automated optimization are heading, click through!

In this episode of Free Form AI, we sit down with Tomu Hirata (Databricks), whose journey from medicine to software engineering offers a unique lens on building AI systems. From automating construction machinery to optimizing job postings at Indeed, Tomu has worked at the edge of AI data collection and model design.

Tune in to Episode 18 for a wide-ranging conversation about:
• The challenges of gathering real-world data for AI in construction and beyond
• Why human feedback is critical for prompt optimization
• How context and memory augmentation will shape the future of AI agents

If you’re curious about where AI agents are heading, and what it takes to make them truly effective, this episode is for you.