Article summary
I recently joined a live-audience episode of the RioT Underground podcast to share my perspective on AI and how Atomic Object is approaching it. We covered a range of topics, from the hype and reality of today’s tools to how company culture can adapt when the way we work changes quickly.
Our Approach to AI
I explained how Atomic Object’s sustainable growth, employee ownership, and local focus have shaped our approach to AI. While tools like Cursor and Figma are making our work more efficient, they’re not replacing the need for human judgment. We also talked about how critical thinking and oversight remain essential, even as capabilities improve.
The conversation also focused on the value AI adds today and how it’s an ever-shifting landscape. In general, I’ve observed the biggest wins are operational. AI tools are great at summarizing meetings, drafting automated tests, and accelerating design iterations. A term I used to describe the benefits I’m seeing today is “micro-gains”. The small benefits of adapting AI add up over the course of weeks and months, so we are careful about the “10x” claims in media.
Culture and Values
Culture was another big theme. At Atomic, “Teach and Learn” is a core value. It’s helped us navigate major shifts in the past and is serving us well now. With AI, the learning curve is shared across everyone on the team, no matter their experience level. We’ve found the best results come when ideas come from all directions, supported by a clear vision and thoughtful guardrails.
Lastly, we dug into what this means from a people perspective. We discussed how the increased prevalence of AI tools will shift the job market from valuing specific skills to valuing more generalist, strategic thinking. Clear communication, curiosity, and adaptability will thrive over intimate knowledge of particular technologies.
You can listen to the full conversation here.