What We Learned From Platform Teams Using Spacelift Intent

The integration of AI into platform teams' workflows is significantly enhancing the speed and efficiency of software development without compromising control over infrastructure management. As AI-assisted coding becomes a staple, platform teams are tasked with balancing rapid infrastructure provision with maintaining security and compliance. Spacelift Intent and Spacelift Intelligence are tools designed to bridge this gap by allowing developers to express infrastructure needs in natural language, while platform-defined policies ensure governance and operational consistency. At Cityblock Health, the focus was on simplifying cloud complexity for developers, enabling faster experimentation without compromising infrastructure governance. Conversely, Vega's approach emphasized safe, isolated environments for experimentation, reducing risk and encouraging innovation. Across both cases, AI is most effective when complementing existing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and GitOps workflows, translating developer intent into action while adhering to established rules and policies. The insights from these experiences underline the importance of pairing AI-driven workflows with robust guardrails to enhance platform team expertise and maintain control as development velocity increases.