AI layoffs, vibe coding and leading from the front with Mitch Kosowski

TC Gill sits down with Mitch Kosowski, VP of Engineering at Vouched, for a wide-ranging conversation on tech leadership in the age of AI. From why AI layoffs are a shortsighted bet to why "vibe coding" only feels good until you have to debug it, Mitch brings nearly two decades of engineering leadership experience, a sharp sense of humor, and a genuine love of memes to this episode of CTO Confessions.

Key Takeaways

1. AI layoffs are a bad bet: Mitch argues that cutting headcount because of AI efficiency gains is shortsighted. Companies that keep their teams and use AI to grow revenue will consistently outperform those that shrink to preserve margin.

2. Vibe coding's day has passed: Shipping code you don't fully understand "was kind of the rage six months, nine months ago," but it's fallen out of favor because it can't hold up over time. The real cost has shifted downstream to QA and end-to-end testing.

3. Leading from the front: Mitch describes himself as a "builder executive" or "player coach," someone who stays hands-on rather than operating purely from a bird's-eye view. He believes this hybrid approach is increasingly essential as AI blurs the lines between engineering disciplines.

4. Memes as institutional knowledge: Mitch treats his frequent LinkedIn memes and posts as a release valve and a teaching tool, arguing that tech memes carry "kernels of truth" only visible once you've been in the trenches long enough to get the joke.
5. Retros and networking as habits, not events: Whether it's regular team retrospectives or consistent professional networking, Mitch emphasizes that the leaders and engineers who improve fastest are the ones who build these into a steady rhythm rather than turning to them only in a crisis.
6. Identity verification is the front line of trust: As VP of Engineering at Vouched, Mitch discusses how identity verification is expanding beyond typical use cases like fintech and healthcare into dating apps, competitive gaming, and increasingly, verifying AI agents themselves.

Speakers

TC Gill, Host, CTO Confessions
TC hosts CTO Confessions, a podcast where technology leaders share candid stories and lessons from their careers.

Mitch Kosowski, VP of Engineering, Vouched
Mitch leads engineering at Vouched, an identity verification company operating in the identity and "know your agent" space. He holds an undergraduate degree and master's from Carnegie Mellon, and prior to Vouched spent time in venture capital and engineering leadership roles across remote-first companies. Mitch is also known for writing daily LinkedIn posts and memes that distill hard-won lessons from software engineering and leadership.