The unprecedented acceleration of engineering productivity, driven by AI coding agents, presents a paradox: while individual output soars, the collective understanding of project status and codebase evolution becomes increasingly opaque. This critical challenge for software development leadership formed the crux of a recent discussion on CNBC’s Closing Bell Overtime, where Macroscope CEO Kayvon Beykpour, co-founder of the influential live-streaming platform Periscope, shed light on his new venture’s mission to provide "x-ray vision for your company."
Beykpour spoke with Jon Fortt about Macroscope’s AI-powered tools designed to illuminate the complex, rapidly changing landscape of modern software development. The interview explored how AI is not merely a tool for code generation but a force transforming the entire development lifecycle, creating both immense opportunity and significant organizational hurdles.
The problem of tracking progress and understanding product evolution within engineering teams is, as Beykpour noted, "as old as time." However, he stressed that this perennial challenge is now "more severe now that every engineer is being turbocharged by AI coding agents." The sheer volume and velocity of code being generated and integrated, often with AI assistance, can quickly overwhelm traditional oversight mechanisms. Managers and product leaders find themselves in a constant scramble for information, relying on time-consuming meetings, manual spreadsheets, and endless email chains to piece together a fragmented picture of what’s truly happening on the ground. This introduces significant friction, slows decision-making, and ultimately impacts a company's ability to innovate and deliver.
Macroscope tackles this issue by shifting the source of truth. Instead of burdening engineers with reporting or relying on outdated manual processes, the platform uses AI to directly interpret the codebase itself. Beykpour articulated this core innovation: "We're actually using AI to help you get the ground truth of what's happening." This is a profound shift from subjective reporting to objective, data-driven insights derived from the very artifacts of creation. The codebase, which is the most accurate and up-to-date record of a product's state, becomes the primary ledger from which all insights are drawn.
This approach offers unparalleled clarity. Product managers and project managers, who traditionally spend considerable time chasing updates, can now query an AI agent to instantly understand progress, identify bottlenecks, and track feature development. This is akin to a CFO having a real-time financial dashboard, but for the engineering function. Beykpour highlighted the efficacy: "You have an AI agent that can spelunk through the codebase, consult whatever artifacts are necessary to be able to answer that question for you at any time without distracting an engineer." This capability not only streamlines communication but also preserves the invaluable focus time of highly skilled engineers, allowing them to concentrate on building rather than reporting.
The strategic implication for founders and VCs is clear: in an era where AI dramatically amplifies individual engineering output, the competitive edge will increasingly belong to organizations that can effectively manage and understand this accelerated development. A company's ability to quickly grasp what's being built, how it's progressing, and where potential issues lie directly translates into faster iteration cycles, more informed strategic adjustments, and ultimately, a more robust product. Without such "x-ray vision," the very productivity gains offered by AI could ironically lead to a chaotic and unmanageable development environment. Macroscope addresses this emerging need by transforming the codebase from a mere repository of instructions into an intelligent, queryable source of organizational understanding. This makes the engineering organization more transparent and accountable, fostering better alignment between technical execution and strategic business objectives.
