San Francisco-headquartered IT services firm Astreya has appointed Edward Betancourt, a long-time software executive and engineer, as its new Chief Technology Officer. Boardroom Insight caught up with Betancourt on the occasion to get an insider’s look at three of the most important items on the enterprise IT agenda: semiconductors, AI and the public cloud.

Betancourt joined Astreya after two successful startup exits and a long career leading tech firms’ software engineering efforts. We asked Betancourt how the trends reshaping the enterprise IT market are affecting developers’ work. The answer? Significantly. Software teams are facing more complexity amid the emergence of multichip data centers, while at the same time AI-powered productivity tools promise to simplify many aspects of their work.

Boardroom Insight: A data center that was mostly CPUs 20 years ago might today be a mix of CPUs, GPUs, DPUs and maybe a few custom-designed chips if it’s operated by a major tech firm. Is this shift to heterogeneous compute changing the software development process, or is the multichip complexity mostly staying hidden behind an abstraction layer for developers?

Edward Betancourt: Absolutely, the gradual shift towards a more heterogeneous computing environment is indeed influencing the software development landscape. While it’s true that abstraction layers can shield developers from the complexity to an extent, being aware and entirely using the distinct capabilities of various chips can significantly optimize performance and resource efficiency. From my extensive experience working with data and AI, I firmly believe that understanding and leveraging this layered complexity can unearth substantial benefits, helping to craft solutions that are not only innovative but highly tailored to specific hardware capabilities.

Boardroom Insight: In the medium to long term, what role do you see generative AI tools like GitHub Copilot playing in software development projects?

Edward Betancourt: I am genuinely excited about the potential generative AI tools like GitHub Copilot bring to the table in software development. These tools stand to revolutionize coding by automating routine tasks and offering intelligent code suggestions, freeing up developers to focus more on strategic, higher-level problem-solving. While at startups and advising VC-funded companies, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative impact of integrating AI into various processes. I fully expect these tools to find a prominent place in the developer’s toolkit, fostering innovation and unprecedentedly enhancing efficiency.

Boardroom Insight: Alongside generative AI, what other technologies do you see becoming more important for enterprises in the coming years?

Edward Betancourt: Beyond generative AI, there are a host of technologies on the horizon that I anticipate will be game-changers for enterprises soon. We’re looking at further advancements in edge computing, IoT, and the integration of 5G technologies, all of which have the potential to redefine how we approach IT solutions. My vision for Astreya is to be at the forefront of harnessing these technologies, drive innovation to create unparalleled value for our clients and shape a future where our IT solutions are responsive and predictive, leveraging the latest tech to solve tomorrow’s problems today.

Boardroom Insight: Enterprise tech can evolve fairly rapidly: a public cloud service that powers parts of a SaaS application might suddenly receive five new features. How do development teams address those kinds of changes to components of their tech stack?

Edward Betancourt: The pace of change in the tech industry is indeed staggering, and adapting to it requires a dynamic approach. I’ve advocated for a culture of continuous learning and proactive adaptation throughout my career. It is essential to foster a development environment where teams are responsive and anticipate changes, ready to leverage new features to enhance our service offerings. At Astreya, we are instilling a philosophy of ‘Working Innovation,’ where we go beyond just adopting new technologies to integrating them seamlessly to address complex issues and generate significant value, ensuring we are always a step ahead in providing innovative solutions to our clients.

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