2x the Power Users: How Structured AI Training Scaled Developer Productivity @ Indeed

Michael Redding

Product Director @ Indeed

Jeff Davis

VP Core Infrastructure @ Indeed

Abstract

Most engineering organizations want their developers to use AI coding tools, but getting from adoption to proficiency at enterprise scale is a different challenge entirely. At Indeed, we designed a structured, cohort-based training program called AI Coding Essentials (AICE) that upskilled over 2,000 engineers over a guided four-week period. The program combined self-paced learning modules, peer-led live sessions from trained "Ambassadors," and team-based application exercises — all with a tool-agnostic curriculum covering prompt engineering, AI-enhanced development workflows, and onboarding AI agents to enterprise codebases. Critically, the program evolved in real time as our tooling shifted from Gen 1 assistants (Copilot, Cody) through Gen 2 (Cursor, Windsurf) to Gen 3 agents (Claude Code, Amp).

The results spoke for themselves: AICE doubled the power user rate among participants, outperforming our original pilot program. Trained engineers adopted next-gen AI tools at twice the rate of untrained peers, 91% reported improved ability to use AI in their role, and we observed a 37% reduction in median coding time from participants who completed the program.

In this talk, we'll share the practical playbook: how we designed the curriculum, secured executive buy-in, pivoted our rollout strategy mid-program, measured impact, and what we'd do differently next time.

About the speakers

Michael Redding

Product Director

Michael Redding is a Product Director in Core Infrastructure at Indeed, where he leads the company's strategy to apply AI to developer productivity. He focuses on integrating AI across the engineering workflow to help thousands of engineers build faster and more effectively. His work centers on scaling emerging technologies, including agentic workflows and modern AI infrastructure, to transform how engineering teams collaborate, innovate, and deliver products. When he's not at work, you can find him hunting for the best breakfast tacos in Austin.

Jeff Davis

VP Core Infrastructure

Jeff Davis is VP of Engineering for Core Infrastructure at Indeed, leading 200+ engineers and partners who build the platforms, SRE practices, and developer tooling behind Indeed's global products. With 20+ years in software, he's led major cloud migrations, run nine-figure infrastructure budgets, and scaled high-availability systems and engineering orgs. His current focus is making product development AI-first while strengthening reliability, cost rigor, and engineering culture.