August 5th, 2026 × #DesignEngineer#AI#WebDevelopment#Testing
The Rise of the Design Engineer
Wes and Scott dig into why design engineers are the new full stack, why AI has no taste (hello cookie-cutter McMansions), and whether the AI bubble pops. Plus a guest appearance from Dr. Courtney Tolinski on kids and AI, and tips for keeping coding agents lean.
Wes Bos Host
Scott Tolinski Host
Scott and Wes tackle your questions on the rise of the design engineer, why AI still lacks "taste" (and why it's about more than just looks), and how to actually write tests in the age of AI-assisted coding. Plus: is AI a bubble about to burst, keeping coding agents efficient in massive codebases, introducing kids to AI, a Linux life update, and more!
Show Notes
- 00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
- 01:18 The Rise of the Design Engineer Role
- 08:39 Why AI Has No Taste: It's Not Just How It Looks
- 14:28 Brought to you by Sentry.io
- 14:52 Testing in the AI Era: Are We Using AI to Write Tests?
- 20:09 Is AI a Bubble? Will It Burst?
- 24:35 Negative Public Sentiment Towards AI and Data Centers
- 30:16 Update on Scott Using Omarchy and Linux
- 38:14 Introducing AI to Kids: A Parent's Perspective with Dr. Courtney
- 49:34 Getting Hired Without AI Experience: How to Catch Up
- 52:53 Keeping Coding Agents Efficient: Token Usage, Speed, and Accuracy
- 57:10 Sick Picks + Shameless Plugs
Sick Picks
- Scott: Kitchen Sink Brush
- Wes: Magnet Fishing
Shameless Plugs
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