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Dhanji R. Prasanna

1 episode

Episodes

How Block is becoming the most AI-native enterprise in the world | Dhanji R. Prasanna

Oct 26, 20251h 26m

Guest: Dhanji R. Prasanna - Chief Technology Officer at Block. Dhanji oversees a team of over 3,500 people and has been instrumental in making Block one of the most AI-native large companies in the world. Key Takeaways: AI Productivity Gains: Block's AI tools, like Goose, are saving employees an average of 8-10 hours per week, with potential for more as AI capabilities improve. Goose - An AI Agent: Goose is an open-source AI agent that automates tasks across various platforms, significantly enhancing productivity by integrating with existing tools through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Functional Org Structure: Transitioning from a GM to a functional organizational structure has been crucial for Block's AI adoption, fostering better collaboration and technical depth. Empowering Non-Technical Teams: AI tools are enabling non-technical teams to build software solutions independently, reducing dependency on engineering resources. Rethinking Code Quality: Successful products are not necessarily built on perfect code quality; focusing on solving user problems is more critical. Topics Covered: AI productivity, Goose AI agent, organizational structure, AI in non-technical teams, code quality vs. product success, open-source contributions, future of AI in work.

Notable Quotes

โ€œA lot of engineers think that code quality is important to building a successful product. The two have nothing to do with each other.โ€

Product Development

โ€œIf it's not meaningful and fun, then you shouldn't be doing it probably.โ€

Career Advice

โ€œThe main thing is telling yourself that a year from now, you're going to look back on what looks like a monumental problem, a life-changing thing, and you're going to be like, 'Oh, that was so trivial.'โ€

Perspective on Change