Tackling Tech Debt at Scale: Smarter Strategies with AI

AI is often referred to as the "magic bullet" to replace engineers. This idea stems from engineers rapidly deploying at speeds that impress leadership. Looking deeper, we see critical flaws in enterprise environments. AI focuses on point solutions without considering scalability or roadmaps, creating significant tech debt. Without alignment to Program Increments and proper definition in Program Backlogs, these solutions rarely support sustainable value streams. When engineers review AI code, they often can't understand what it does, increasing maintenance risk during turnover. This undermines quality principles and prevents Agile Release Trains from delivering predictable value. We can leverage AI to minimize technical debt by integrating it with architectural runways, using enabler stories for dependencies, and ensuring solutions align with portfolio vision rather than just delivering isolated features.