# Angie Jones on Goose, MCP, and the future of AI agents | Episode 9 | The GitHub Podcast Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtpJvs7X3So Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/ZtpJvs7X3So Generated: 2026-01-24T15:33:31.723+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Abby Cabunoc Mayes and Angie Jones discuss the impact of AI agents like GitHub Copilot and the open-source nature of Goose, emphasizing that while AI is powerful, human oversight and collaboration remain crucial for navigating complex areas like finance and security, and they encourage new developers to engage with open-source projects. **Key Points:** - Angie Jones is the VP of Engineering, AI Tools & Enablement at Block, Inc., and works with the open-source AI agent Goose, which Block released in January 2025. - Goose was developed as the reference implementation for the MCP protocol with Anthropic, and it supports multi-agent workflows for tasks like finance, marketing, sales, and executive assistance. - The open-source nature of Goose allows the community to contribute, see what's happening under the hood, and use the tool for complex tasks like triaging PRs or building applications. - Jones notes that developers are becoming comfortable using AI tools like Copilot to write code, but they are still hesitant about giving AI access to local machines due to the non-deterministic nature of the software. - The discussion highlights that while AI accelerates processes (like reducing a week-long task to an hour), it doesn't replace the need for human expertise, vision, and context setting. - Jones shares that her personal history includes teaching test automation at Applitools and starting an initiative to teach resilient coders, highlighting the importance of human mentorship alongside AI tools. - The interview concludes with a shout-out to the Selenium Cypress project and its contributors, emphasizing the value of community collaboration in open source. ![Screenshot at 00:09: Abby Cabunoc Mayes introduces herself as a host from the Open Source Programs team at GitHub, setting the context for the discussion on open source, trends, stories, and culture.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZtpJvs7X3So/00-00-09.jpg) **Context:** This is an interview segment from The GitHub Podcast, featuring host Abby Cabunoc Mayes and guest Angie Jones, VP of Engineering, AI Tools & Enablement at Block, Inc. The discussion focuses on the practical application and cultural impact of AI agents, specifically highlighting Block's open-source project named Goose, and how these tools are changing software development practices, particularly regarding testing and security, while still requiring human oversight. ## Detailed Analysis The GitHub Podcast episode features an interview between Abby Cabunoc Mayes, a host from GitHub’s Open Source Programs team, and Angie Jones, VP of Engineering, AI Tools & Enablement at Block, Inc. Jones explains that Block released Goose, an open-source AI agent, in January 2025. Goose was developed as the reference implementation for the MCP protocol with Anthropic and is designed to support multi-agent systems across various business functions like finance, marketing, sales, and executive assistance. Jones emphasizes that Goose is open source, allowing the community to contribute and see how it works, which is beneficial given the current excitement around AI. She notes that while AI tools like Copilot speed up coding, developers remain cautious about giving them direct access to local systems because AI output is non-deterministic. Jones stresses that AI should accelerate workflows—like reducing a week-long task to an hour—but should not replace human expertise, vision, or the need for course correction. She also mentions her own background teaching test automation and starting an initiative to mentor resilient coders, showing that human guidance remains essential. The conversation closes with a shout-out to the Selenium Cypress project, reinforcing the theme of community contribution in open source. ### Introduction and Guest Background - Abby Cabunoc Mayes welcomes Angie Jones, Lead Open Source Maintainer at GitHub (incorrectly labeled in early caption, corrected later as VP at Block) - Jones identifies herself as VP of Engineering, AI Tools & Enablement at Block, Inc. - The discussion is live at GitHub Universe Day 2. ### Goose AI Agent Details - Block released Goose, an open-source AI agent, in January 2025 - Goose was developed as the reference implementation for the MCP protocol with Anthropic - It supports financial, marketing, sales, and executive assistance tasks. ### AI Impact and Open Source Philosophy - Open sourcing Goose allows community contribution and transparency, unlike proprietary tools where developers cannot see underlying processes - Jones advocates for using AI to accelerate workflows, not replace human oversight, citing the need to avoid developers getting complacent or 'stuck' on AI output. ### Practical Application and Vision - Jones details how engineers use agents to handle tasks like writing PRs or running tests, and how this accelerates development cycles significantly (e.g., saving a week of work). - She contrasts this practical application with the 'doom and gloom' narratives sometimes associated with AI, emphasizing the positive acceleration possible. ### Personal Experience and Advice - Jones mentions her background in teaching test automation (at Applitools) and leading initiatives to mentor resilient coders, valuing human expertise. - She advises people entering AI programming to aim for being visionary while remaining practical about implementation. ### Closing Remarks and Shout-outs - Jones gives a shout-out to the Selenium Cypress project, highlighting the importance of community contributions in open source. ![Screenshot at 00:03: The host, Abby Cabunoc Mayes, introduces the GitHub Podcast and the guest, Angie Jones.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZtpJvs7X3So/00-00-03.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:10: A lower-third graphic identifies the guest as Abby Cabunoc Mayes, Lead Open Source Maintainer, GitHub \(though she identifies herself as a host later\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZtpJvs7X3So/00-00-10.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:28: Angie Jones, VP of Engineering at Block, Inc., is introduced and begins sharing her experience at GitHub Universe.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZtpJvs7X3So/00-00-28.jpg) ![Screenshot at 01:15: Angie Jones discusses how Goose helps developers navigate modern software development with AI assistance.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZtpJvs7X3So/00-01-15.jpg) ![Screenshot at 03:44: Abby Cabunoc Mayes reacts enthusiastically to the discussion about the visionary nature of AgentHQ.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZtpJvs7X3So/00-03-44.jpg)