Group Discussion: How is AI changing the face of Software Architecture?

We’re taking this session back to where it all started. Before this meetup featured formal talks, it began as a discussion group - a space for peers to hash out ideas together.

To tackle a topic as rapidly evolving as AI, we’re returning to that original format, and the session will be led by Simon Kirkham who leads the engineering teams at Partful.

We will explore a fundamental shift in the industry: as AI makes the cost of generating code significantly cheaper, the importance of intentional architecture only grows. If code is now a commodity, how does architecture become a safeguard against chaos?

Simon will facilitate a conversation around the realities of this shift, including:

• The "Cheap Code" Paradox: When components can be generated in seconds, what does that mean for the long-term integrity of our systems?
• New Governance: Which AI-driven tools and techniques are emerging to help us manage and monitor architecture when AI is doing the heavy lifting?
• The Architect’s Evolution: How does our role change when we move from writing syntax to governing the structural integrity of AI-augmented systems?

This session is for anyone who writes code, designs systems, or is looking to share experiences and explore how we adapt our architectural "rules" for the future.

Questions to consider for the session:

• The "Legacy" of Speed: If AI can generate a microservice in seconds, are we just creating technical debt at a higher velocity?
• The Human Reviewer: Does our role shift from "Builder" to "Editor-in-Chief," and do we currently have the architectural tools to review AI output effectively?
• Prompt-Based Architecture: Will we eventually stop drawing diagrams and start "prompting" entire system topologies? If so, who owns the "Source of Truth"?
• Tooling: Has anyone found an AI tool that actually understands context and intent in architecture, rather than just generating isolated snippets?

Date: Thursday 19th March
Venue: Bonded Warehouse (M3 4AP)

• 5pm – doors open (network, have some pizza and grab a drink)
• 6pm – discussion
• 7:30pm – pub / home (please don’t feel bad if you need to leave early)

Pizza and drinks will be provided as usual. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let me know ahead of time.