AI is changing how software is built, tested, managed, and delivered. But are we building better systems, or just building them faster?

In this episode of the AI Accelerator Podcast, Matt Zembruski talks with Katy Sherman, VP of Technology at BeSmartee, about how AI is reshaping Agile, product management, engineering, and technology leadership. With more than 30 years in technology, from software engineer to leading Product, Engineering, Support, and Information Security for a SaaS lending platform, Katy explains why AI is transforming Agile rather than killing it, why documenting intent is now a core engineering discipline, and how leaders can use AI to improve both speed and decision quality.

At the center of the conversation are two questions every software organization should be asking: What is the system supposed to be doing? And what is it actually doing?

In this episode:

• Is AI killing Agile, or transforming it into something better?

• Why the Agile Manifesto may need a second look in the age of AI

• Why humans struggle to keep context across large amounts of documentation

• Documenting intent before AI writes the code

• Why faster development isn't automatically better development

• Using AI to connect goals, KPIs, requirements, acceptance criteria, tests, and code

• Why Product and Engineering are converging, and why Product Operations matters

• How BeSmartee adopts AI while balancing security, quality, and customer expectations

Key quote: "What is the system supposed to be doing and what is it really doing?" – Katy Sherman

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to the AI Accelerator Podcast

00:14 Meet Katy Sherman, VP of Technology at BeSmartee

01:27 Katy's journey from software engineer to technology and product leader

03:36 Why combining Product and Engineering creates better business outcomes

04:32 AI adoption in fintech: security and managing risk

05:25 Is AI killing Agile?

06:30 The massive transformation happening in software development

07:40 Reexamining the Agile Manifesto in the age of AI

08:38 Why humans struggle with massive amounts of documentation

09:43 From comprehensive documentation to code as the durable record

10:49 What AI changes about comprehension, context, and software development

12:05 AI-generated code and the need to document intent

13:09 Why successful organizations will need stronger statements of intent

14:38 How BeSmartee is adapting its operating model

15:07 Balancing speed, quality, and customer expectations

16:05 The two questions at the heart of software quality

17:40 Why knowing what a system will actually do is difficult

18:34 The danger of simply accelerating code production

19:28 Using AI to document and validate intent

20:52 What is the system supposed to do, and what is it actually doing?

21:25 Separating code generation from context and decision-making

22:01 Using AI to connect goals, KPIs, requirements, tests, and code

22:48 Getting the benefits of AI without losing control

23:19 Final thoughts with Katy Sherman

Connect with Katy Sherman:

Website: https://www.besmartee.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-sherman/

Connect with Matt Zembruski:

Website: https://leadingaiagility.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattzembruski/

Email: matt@leadingaiagility.com

Phone / Text / WhatsApp: +1 978-618-5778

About the AI Accelerator Podcast: Hosted by Matt Zembruski, the AI Accelerator Podcast explores how leaders are moving beyond AI hype and putting artificial intelligence to work in real organizations, with practical perspectives on AI adoption, digital transformation, leadership, innovation, and the future of work.