"I Can't Do That, Dave" – No Agent Yet

3 days ago

The industry is focusing on building agents that quickly say 'yes', but sometimes the correct answer should be 'no'.
Isolation in software engineering leads to flawed systems, a lesson repeatedly forgotten over fifty years.
Meaning and quality outcomes emerge from conversations, not isolation, as highlighted by various experts across different fields.
Current AI prompting interfaces are considered poor and should be phased out for better interaction models.
Agents lack continuity between sessions, which is crucial for meaningful participation and problem-solving.
The real challenge is not giving agents memory but shaping the ground between sessions for persistent identity and stakes.
Historical lessons from software engineering emphasize that isolation degrades system quality and collaboration is key.
The industry is reverting to siloed workflows with AI, reminiscent of Waterfall, under the guise of 'AI-native development'.
Persistent identity and participation, not just memory, are essential for agents to have a stake and push back effectively.
The proposed solution involves integrating agent identity with code persistence systems like git, using cryptographic methods for trust.

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