AI-Augmented Software Engineering and the PRAISE Preceptorship Program

Scott Hanselman speaks with Dr. Michael Hilton, a teaching professor at Carnegie Mellon, and Julia Gao, a software engineer at Microsoft, about Microsoft's PRAISE program (Preceptorship for AI Augmented Software Engineering). The conversation examines how AI is changing early-career hiring, university coursework, and the way engineers learn, review, and take responsibility for code. It also contrasts AI as a shortcut with AI as a tool for building deeper understanding under guided mentorship.

■ AI's impact on education
- When AI began completing assignments and how courses responded
- Student use of AI for concept learning versus task completion
- Challenges in motivating students and teaching engineering judgment

■ PRAISE preceptorship model
- Origin of preceptor from nursing education
- Differences from internships and traditional mentorship
- A participant's experience with structured AI labs and senior guidance

■ Software engineering practice and outlook
- Coding, code review, context, accountability, and bottlenecks
- Value over replacement, taste, architecture, and deep understanding
- Referenced op-ed, Substack blog, and views on future AI-augmented work

Intended for software engineers, educators, engineering leaders, and early-career developers, the discussion provides context on how AI may reshape learning and practice. Viewers can consider how mentorship, code review, and engineering judgment remain relevant as AI tools become more capable.