Random Opinion Generator | Gen AI, Women In tech, WFO and more | Episode 7 | Version Controlled

Random Opinion Generator | Gen AI, Women In tech, WFO and more | Episode 7 | Version Controlled

Hey everyone! Welcome back to another episode of Version Controlled. I'm Saama, a software engineer at Microsoft with years of experience in Cloud networking. With me is Saruk, who is also a software engineer, but at Amazon, working in orchestration. Saruk just hit 5 years in experience at Amazon, which feels like a long journey, according to him.

Today is a special episode where we use a random opinion generator. We decided to pick random tech topics from a jar and discuss them within a time limit of one and a half minutes each. The twist? Once our time hits 1 minute, we give each other a signal, and after 1.5 minutes, we stop talking, no matter what.

Topics Discussed

1. AI Overtaking Jobs

   • Saama shared his views on AI overtaking jobs. He believes it's a topic blown out of context as of today, but over time we might see some jobs being replaced, especially the ones that are standard operating procedure (SOP) based where a margin of error is acceptable. AI should enable humans more, rather than replace them.

2. Women in Tech

   • Saama feels that while companies are pushing for diversity, micro-biases exist, which hurt the confidence of women in tech. She believes that people need to be more conscious in meetings and discussions to ensure every voice is heard.

3. Agile Development

   • Saruk feels Agile development is an overloaded term in the industry. While it can work wonders, it should be implemented gradually. He believes agile can easily go wrong if imposed hastily, becoming a hindrance rather than an enabler.

4. Wearable Tech

   • Saruk shared his views on consumer-oriented wearable tech like Apple Vision Pro and Oculus. While they are cool gadgets, they lack practical use and are uncomfortable to wear. However, he sees potential for these in professional applications such as surgeries.

5. Ed Tech

   • Saama believes that Ed Tech is a very promising industry, especially for India. However, the first wave, epitomized by the rise and fall of BYJU’S, didn't have the desired impact. The sector needs good companies to implement the right technology for it to be genuinely beneficial.

6. Work From Office (WFO)

   • Saruk, during his 5-year journey, has seen the benefits and drawbacks of both WFO and work-from-home (WFH). He believes the future should be hybrid, offering the flexibility to work from home and the opportunity to bond with the team in person when needed.

Keywords

• AI
• Agile Development
• Wearable Tech
• Ed Tech
• Work From Office
• Women in Tech
• Hybrid Work

FAQ

Q1: What are the main issues Saruk faces with Agile Development?

• Saruk believes Agile development is often overloaded and can become a hindrance if implemented hastily. It doesn't work well with projects involving a lot of unknowns, which makes estimation difficult.

Q2: How does Saama feel about women in tech?

• Saama feels that while companies are pushing for diversity, subtle biases still exist in the industry. She emphasizes the need for people to be more conscious of ensuring every voice is heard, particularly from minority groups.

Q3: What is Saruk's view on wearable tech?

• Saruk feels wearable tech like Apple Vision Pro and Oculus have impressive technology but lack practical use and are uncomfortable for daily wear. He sees potential for their use in specialized professional fields.

Q4: How does Saama perceive Ed Tech in India?

• Saama views Ed Tech as a promising field in India, but its potential hasn't been fully realized due to missteps by early companies like BYJU’S. She stresses the need for the right companies to implement apt technology.

Q5: What is Saruk's stance on Work From Office (WFO)?

• Saruk supports a hybrid model as the future of work. He acknowledges that while work-from-home offers flexibility, in-person collaboration is valuable for mentoring and team bonding.

Thank you for reading! If you have more topics or feedback, let us know in the comments. Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe!