In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich pull back the curtain on Microsoft's Build conference with a look at the cutting room floor of Mark's Inside Azure Innovations breakout session. They explore fascinating technologies that didn't make the final presentation, including AI-powered network repair agents, advanced data center cooling systems, supply chain security innovations, prompt injection defenses, and groundbreaking approaches to cloud infrastructure. Along the way, they discuss how major technology presentations are assembled, the challenge of choosing what to showcase, and the incredible engineering work happening behind the scenes at Microsoft.

See the innovations that did make the final cut in the recording of Mark’s Inside Azure Innovations talk at Microsoft Build 2026: Inside Azure Innovations with Mark Russinovich.

Takeaways:

• How Mark decides what innovations make it into major conference presentations
• New technologies and tools being used to manage cloud infrastructure at scale
• Why some of the most interesting innovations never make it onto the conference stage

Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn

Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube

Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich reflect on conversations from Microsoft Build before diving into a thoughtful debate about AI's impact on software engineering. They explore why coding is ultimately about clear specifications, testing, and evaluation, not just generating code and discuss whether AI will truly replace developers or simply change how software is built. Along the way, they compare AI-generated software to IKEA furniture versus custom craftsmanship, examine the future of junior engineers, and share their perspectives on quality, responsibility, and what it really means to ship software in an AI-driven world.

Takeaways:

• How experienced engineers evaluate AI-generated code
• The critical role of testing, evaluation, and human oversight in AI-assisted development
• Why clear specifications are still the foundation of successful software projects.

Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn

Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube

Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Scott Hanselman and Mark Russinovich dive into a growing issue in AI-driven research: hallucinated references in academic papers. After scanning thousands of conference submissions, Mark uncovers widespread citation inaccuracies, sparking a broader conversation about accountability, cognitive surrender, and the risks of over-relying on AI tools. They explore where AI adds value versus where it erodes critical thinking, from academic writing to everyday coding and content creation. The conversation shifts into the realities of vibe coding, the tradeoffs of speed versus quality, and what it means to maintain taste and expertise in an AI-accelerated world, ultimately asking: if AI lowers the barrier to create, does it also lower the standard?

LLM Writing in Tech: Blogs and Articles

Takeaways:

• AI hallucinations are already impacting academic research quality
• The future challenge isn’t using AI; it’s maintaining standards while using it
• There’s a growing tension between efficiency and craftsmanship

Who are they?

View Scott Hanselman on LinkedIn

View Mark Russinovich on LinkedIn

Watch Scott and Mark Learn on YouTube

Listen to other episodes at scottandmarklearn.to

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.