Product Leader Collective presents: The Software Factory Debate

The software factory is under construction. Come debate what it should look like.

A lot of teams are trying to build a software factory: AI agents that can help plan, build, test, and ship software. The idea is compelling, but the reality is still messy. The tools are changing quickly, the playbook is far from settled, and the biggest bottlenecks may be showing up in places teams are not expecting.

Join Ben Levine, CPO @ Candidly and product and engineering leaders for an open conversation about what’s actually working and what still gets in the way. Then, get a close look at a few teams putting these ideas to work today.

Who should be in the room

• Product and engineering leaders figuring out where AI agents belong in the product development process, and what changes when they move from demos into daily work.

Come ready to

• Pressure-test “software factory” claims with people doing the work.

• Think beyond coding agents: how should planning, specs, feedback, and handoffs change?

• Debate real tradeoffs instead of sitting through another polished product demo.

Ben Levine is Chief Product Officer at Candidly, where he leads product, data science, and design. He spearheaded the development of Candidly’s patented next-best-dollar optimization technology and the launch of Cait, its AI financial planner, helping millions of Americans make smarter decisions about debt, savings, and long-term wealth building. Previously, Ben worked as a Data Scientist at Twitter and a Research Fellow at Microsoft Research Labs. A Fulbright Scholar, he holds an MSc from the London School of Economics and completed PhD coursework in Quantitative Marketing at Columbia University.

We're keeping the event intimate to facilitate meaningful conversation. RSVP to save your spot.