Agentic AI Slop vs. AI XP Excellence? Iteration, Batch Size, Testing, and the Future of Dev Work

In this episode of the Mob Mentality Show, we dive into the growing tension between the fast rise of Agentic AI systems and the foundational principles of Extreme Programming (XP) and Lean Software Development. As more teams experiment with multi-agent LLM orchestrators like Claude, GPT-4, and others, does the risk of generating untested, low-quality "AI slop" increase—unless guided by tight feedback loops, small batch sizes, and real tests?

We ask:
Can Agentic AI truly support Agile and XP practices—or is it working against them
Are we moving toward AI-driven productivity or just automating chaos faster?
What practices can keep teams grounded as tools grow more autonomous?

Join hosts Austin Chadwick and Chris Lucian as they explore:
The difference between AI-assisted XP excellence and Agentic AI slop
Real-world dev experiences using multi-agent architectures
How to apply small iterations, pairing/mobbing, and test-first thinking in AI-augmented workflows
The pitfalls of Agentic orchestration without lean guardrails
Why mob programming and XP might be the missing link in managing AI complexity
Tips for maintaining engineering rigor in a world of AI copilots and task runners

If you're experimenting with AI in software teams—or trying to balance automation with craftsmanship—this conversation is packed with insights, practical takeaways, and a few strong opinions.

📢 Share this episode with anyone navigating the messy intersection of AI tools and solid software practices.

Podcast Episode…
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1VOX...
Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7a6...

References…
AI and Mobbing Playlist:    • AI and Mobbing  
Wallaby: https://wallabyjs.com/
NCrunch: https://www.ncrunch.net/
OpenAI Chat: https://chatgpt.com/
Claud AI: https://claude.ai/
Cursor AI: https://cursor.com/
GitHub Copilot in VS Code: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/co...
Gemini Code Assist: https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/...
Diffusion of Innovation: https://trello.com/c/9OdDqJ8C/135-dif...
AI Slop Image #1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SDry... and   / urn:li:activity:7371636496510046210  
AI Slop Image #2: https://x.com/dustinson/status/196869...
Robots on Thumbnail Image Credit: https://alcalde.texasexes.org/2018/07...

Thanks to G-SLiK (  / g-slik  ) for the intro and outro music.

Chris Lucian and Austin Chadwick discuss all things #agile and product development from a #MobProgramming perspective.

Chris Lucian is the Director of Software Development at Hunter Industries and a founder of mob programming. https://www.chrislucian.com/p/chris-l...

Austin Chadwick is a Mob Programmer at Hunter Industries and is a passionate agilist and craftsman with experience in several roles (e.g. coach, developer, tester, scrum master, business analyst).   / austin-chadwick-3a58151a4  

We would love your feedback and ideas for future episodes! Please add comments to the video or reach out to us on Twitter (   / mob__mentality   &   / christophlucian   ).

All statements and opinions expressed by Chris and Austin are solely their own and do not represent the views of any company. Chris and Austin are just sharing and not recommending ( https://justsharing.dev/ ).