In the race to deliver faster, more efficient solutions, many developers are looking for ways to streamline their processes. The secret weapon? Accelerated AI. Chris Finlayson, CTO and co-founder of bigspark, believes that AI can help developers "reallocate brainpower" and achieve extraordinary productivity gains.

With a rich background in programming, data warehousing, and modern data engineering, Chris has personally witnessed the transformative power of Accelerated AI. Here's how he's using it to speed up workflows, improve outcomes, and redefine how we approach software development.

What is Accelerated AI?

At its core, Accelerated AI is about using AI to fast-track development while maintaining quality control and minimising risk. It's a way to increase the pace of delivery by leveraging AI tools to do the heavy lifting—allowing developers to focus on more complex and creative tasks.

3 Game-Changing AI Strategies to Accelerate Development

Here are three key ideas Chris suggests for using AI to speed up development.

1. AI as a Developer: The Regex Revolution

Let's face it: regular expressions (regex) can be a nightmare for developers. These sequences of characters, used to match patterns in text, have long required extensive manual work. As Chris humorously notes, "Humans should never have been subjected to needing to learn such expressions."

2. AI for Efficiency: Less Repetition, More Innovation

The AI landscape has been evolving at breakneck speed, especially since the debut of ChatGPT in early 2023. With thousands of AI models available from organisations like Meta, OpenAI, and xAI, developers now have endless tools at their disposal—each offering unique advantages.

3. AI as a Partner: Your Personal Sounding Board

Need feedback on an idea but don't have a colleague around? AI can step in as your co-pilot. Whether you're testing a hypothesis, brainstorming, or weighing the pros and cons of different approaches, AI offers a fresh perspective.

Planning for AI Integration: What You Need to Know

The power of Accelerated AI is undeniable, but Chris emphasises that successful AI adoption requires thoughtful planning. Here are three steps to help you prepare.

1. Evaluate and Anticipate

Start by reviewing the AI tools available and anticipate the disruptions they might bring. Formalise methods of exploration and encourage regular reviews of Accelerated AI techniques within your team. Chris suggests involving relevant stakeholders early on and assessing risks upfront.

2. Integrate AI with Existing Workflows

When adopting AI, it's crucial to consider your existing workflows, skill sets, and business processes. AI can simplify and accelerate these processes, but you need a plan. Chris, for example, used Microsoft Autogen to generate workflows and meet integration goals—allowing AI to seamlessly fit into bigspark's operations.

3. Prepare for Skills Shifts and Resource Changes

AI doesn't just speed up workflows—it also changes the skill sets required within your team. Chris shares how AI allowed him to develop front-end applications, even though he wasn't a JavaScript expert. With the help of AI, he could design and implement 80% of a front-end app in just a day—a process that would have taken weeks or even months before.

The Future of Development: Reallocating Brainpower

When asked about the success metrics for Accelerated AI, Chris's response is simple: lower costs, managed risk, and sustained or improved quality. He encourages developers to spend more time working with business partners and clients on requirement validation. In the end, developers who embrace Accelerated AI will see their roles shift toward architecture, planning, and goal validation—focusing on the bigger picture, with AI handling the repetitive tasks.

In summary, AI isn't just a buzzword—it's a tool that can revolutionise how we develop software. From reducing time spent on tedious tasks to providing a fresh perspective on problem-solving, AI has the potential to drastically increase efficiency and effectiveness. It's time to embrace Accelerated AI and supercharge your development process.