AI Doesn’t Eliminate Agile Teams — It Increases the Need for Great Ones - Mike Cohn

Everyone today seems eager to talk about how AI is accelerating software development. Teams are shipping faster. Individuals are more productive. Entire backlogs can be written in minutes. Estimates are a click away. Code that once took days now materializes in minutes. With all this newfound speed, it’s understandable that teams and leaders start asking whether they still need the same kinds of collaboration—or even the same kinds of teams.

Yet hidden underneath all that enthusiasm is a risk that hasn’t received enough attention. In fact, I would argue it is the risk that agile leaders should be paying the closest attention to.

https://www.mountaingoatsoftware.com/blog/ai-doesnt-eliminate-agile-teams-it-increases-the-need-for-great-ones

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Scrum Is NOT Dead... It’s Obsolete?

(Did someone actually Go here?) AAAAAAAhhhhhhhh!

Stand-ups are still happening. Sprint planning still blocks calendars every few weeks. Retrospectives still end with “we should communicate better.” Jira boards are still very busy.

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I made a VERY controversial Podcast Episode on January 1st and I think people may have completely missed it! There will be 3 CRAZY-BIG changes happening on the Agile Landscape in 2026:

🚀 Prediction One: The Shift from Product Ownership to Product Management

• Broader Lifecycle Focus: Product managers will oversee the entire product lifecycle, from ideation to release.
• AI Integration: AI tools will streamline tasks, allowing product managers to focus on delivering value and happy customers.
• Expanded Roles: Expect more product manager roles and fewer traditional product owner positions.

🛠️ Prediction Two: The Evolution of the Scrum Master into the Agile Project Manager

• Holistic View: Agile Project Managers will support product managers and ensure teams focus on building the right product efficiently.
• Organizational Change Management: This will become a critical responsibility, guiding change within organizations.
• Certifications: Scrum Master certifications will still hold value but will need to adapt to this evolving role.

💻 Prediction Three: Developers Will Spend Less Time Coding and More Time on Quality and Integration

• AI-Generated Code: AI tools like ChatGPT will generate code faster, requiring developers to focus on integration and quality assurance.
• New Roles: Developers will become integrators and quality managers, ensuring seamless code assembly and high-quality releases.

🤖 Bonus Prediction: 2026 Will Be the Year AI Explodes in Agile

• AI Revolution: AI will revolutionize how we work, and those who leverage it will have a significant advantage.
• New Courses: We’re launching AI courses for Agile Project Managers, Product Managers, and Leaders to help you thrive in an AI-augmented environment.

I’m genuinely excited about what 2026 holds for the agile community. These shifts, combined with the transformative power of AI, will redefine how we deliver value. If you’re curious to learn more, join my AI classes or attend agile leadership summits where we dive deep into these topics.

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