Listen "S1E9 - Engineering Tools that Build Themselves (w/Stijn Jansen) "
Episode Synopsis
“When engineers start trusting AI, what exactly are they trusting?”In this episode of The Structural Intelligence Podcast, host Owen Keenan sits down with Stijn Jansen, co-founder of VIKTOR, to explore what happens when engineers begin building tools that build themselves. From aerospace engineering to software automation, Stijn explains how VIKTOR enables engineers to replace brittle spreadsheets with custom applications that integrate BIM models, simulation software, and now, AI-generated code.Together, they unpack one of today’s core tensions in engineering: how do we reconcile the reliability of deterministic systems with the flexibility of AI-driven workflows? If machines now help author our tools, where does responsibility live?🔑 Key Takeaways:Why engineers struggle to trust AI and how deterministic code restores confidenceHow AI can generate tools, without becoming the tool itselfWhat it really means to “automate the boring and engineer the awesome”Why Python is becoming the new engineering literacyHow hybrid workflows blend human judgment with machine speedWhy engineers must evolve from tool users into workflow architects⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – When does automation become too unpredictable to trust?02:15 – From aerospace engineer to code-curious05:11 – What is VIKTOR and why build your own tools?08:52 – Why engineers default to Excel under pressure 13:52 – “Automate the boring, engineer the awesome” 24:38 – Case study – automating the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel design 29:31 – Trusting AI vs trusting deterministic tools 35:59 – Unit tests and verification for engineering apps 41:16 – Connecting BIM, FEA and reports into one workflow 51:10 – When AI agents start acting like colleagues 56:18 – Where engineers should start with automation 59:43 – Outro🔗 Guest: Stijn Jansen CPO of VIKTOR Website: https://www.viktor.ai/ LinkedIn (Company): https://linkedin.com/company/viktor-ai LinkedIn (Stijn Jansen): https://www.linkedin.com/in/stijn-jansen-viktor VIKTOR Free account: https://www.viktor.ai/start-now🎧 Host & Links LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/owenrkeenan Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7vcBFpl87NcqpLf0seIRaWVoiceInspect.ai (AI for inspections): https://www.voiceinspect.ai👉 Subscribe to the Structural Intelligence Podcast on YouTube and Spotify to stay updated on new episodes.
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