As an Engineering Manager at Elliptic, Madhura Chaganty focuses on building high-performing teams, driving timely deliveries, and optimizing processes to achieve greater efficiency and impact. By fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, she empowers her teams to tackle complex challenges and deliver scalable, maintainable solutions.
With over two decades of software development experience and a passion for innovation and sustainable technology, she has delivered complex projects while embracing emerging technologies and industry trends.
Outside of work, Madhura is a leader in the Women Coding Community. She mentors and coaches women to succeed in the tech industry, leads initiatives to increase inclusivity, and provides strategic guidance to create a more equitable tech ecosystem.
In a zoo, the world is easy,
every path already paved.
But instincts soften without the wild,
and curiosity fades in the quiet.
What happens to engineers when AI builds the cage?
With AI taking on more of the work, engineers can start to miss the moments that actually teach them something. In this talk, I look at how engineering leaders can keep curiosity alive so their teams continue building real understanding and skill.
AI coding tools like Copilot and Cursor promise speed, but when problems are solved instantly, something important disappears. It’s a bit like animals in a zoo: the environment is comfortable and predictable, but instincts fade. When engineers skip the small struggles like reading documentation, trying things out, fixing their own bugs, they lose the experiences that build judgment, confidence, and deeper thinking.
In my talk, I want to show how leaders can bring some of that wildness back into day-to-day engineering work. I will share simple ways to create small challenges, encourage reflection, and make space for exploration, even when AI is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. These ideas don’t slow teams down. They help engineers stay thoughtful and aware of what they’re building instead of just accepting whatever an AI suggests.
I’ll also walk through practical approach that helps teams recognise when they’re leaning too heavily on AI, find opportunities to learn, and build habits that keep curiosity alive. It’s a way to support growth without removing the advantages of AI. How we leaders can balance AI-assisted work with hands-on learning so junior engineers continue to develop and senior engineers can guide them effectively.
By the end, attendees will understand what’s lost when friction disappears completely. They will take away practical ways to rewild creativity, helping their teams stay engaged and curious in an AI-driven world.
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