Good Culture Is the Biggest Productivity Hack, Not AI

An engineering leader argues that while AI tools dominate the productivity conversation, the real multiplier is a strong team culture. Drawing on 13+ years in the industry, he explains how bad culture undermines even the best AI adoption, why AI amplifies existing strengths and weaknesses, and why forcing AI top-down backfires. He offers practical questions to assess your culture and a checklist for building an environment where great people thrive—then let AI multiply their impact.