MacVoices #26248: AI Development: Start Small, Learn Safely, Then Build Bigger with Adam Engst (3)

Sep 3, 2026 | Interview

Adam Engst explains why AI software development should be approached as an evolution, starting with safe, verifiable data analysis, advancing to simple scripts, and eventually building applications. He distinguishes programming from development, arguing that non-programmers can act as product managers who direct AI, demand security checks, define requirements, and create software tailored to problems existing apps do not solve. (3)

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Show Notes:

Chapters:

Links:

Decades After HyperCard, AI Is Democratizing Development Again by Adam Engst in TidBITS

SetShot by Adam Engst

SetShot Tracks macOS Settings Changes – TidBITS

Guests:

Adam C. Engst is the publisher of TidBITS, one of the oldest and most respected Internet-based newsletters, distributed weekly to tens of thousands of readers. He has written numerous technical books, including the best-selling Internet Starter Kit series, and many magazine articles—thanks to Contributing Editor positions at MacUser, MacWEEK, and Macworld.

His innovations include the creation of the first advertising program to support an Internet publication in 1992, the first flat-rate accounts for graphical Internet access in 1993 (with Northwest Nexus for Internet Starter Kit for Macintosh), and the highly successful Take Control electronic book series. In addition, he has collaborated on several educational videos on the Internet and has appeared on various internationally broadcast television and radio programs.

His tireless support of the Macintosh community and commitment to helping individuals have resulted in numerous awards and recognition at the highest levels. In the annual MDJ Power 25 survey of industry insiders, he ranked as the second (2000), third (2001, 2002), fourth (2003), fifth (2004), and third (2005/2006) most influential person in the Macintosh industry. He has also been included on the MacTech 25 list of influential people in the Macintosh technical community for 2006 and 2007, and he was named one of MacDirectory’s top ten visionaries.

And how many industry figures can boast of being turned into an action figure?

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