Jim Highsmith on Reimagining Agility in an AI World
Agile Manifesto co-author Jim Highsmith joins AI Today to explore how AI is transforming agility, leadership, and enterprise adaptability in today’s fast-changing world. Hear why the next generation of agile must be both principled and adaptive.
Episode Overview
In this special episode of AI Today, recorded live at the Agile2025 event, hosts Kathleen Walch and Avinash Dhanraj sit down with Agile Manifesto co-author and Agile pioneer Jim Highsmith to explore the intersection of AI and agility in the enterprise.
This episode kicks off the AI Today Agile & AI mini-series, focusing on how organizations can stay adaptive in an era of rapid technological change. Jim shares insights from decades of leadership at the forefront of agile, what it means to “manage both people and bots,” and why the next generation of enterprise agility needs to evolve beyond prescriptive frameworks.
Tune in to hear about:
- The evolving meaning of “enterprise agility” in the age of AI
- Why “individuals and interactions over processes and tools” still holds true—with a twist
- The critical difference between adaptive and prescriptive agility
- How AI reshapes collaboration, measurement, and leadership responsibilities
- The role of storytelling and inspiration in successful transformation
Whether you're a seasoned agile coach, project or program manager, transformation leader, or navigating the complexities of implementing AI, this conversation delivers wisdom, caution, and inspiration in equal measure.
Featured in This Episode

Jim Highsmith
co-author of the Agile Manifesto
Jim Highsmith is an adventurer, Catalyst, Storyteller. He is the Co-author of the Agile Manifesto with 60 years’ experience as an IT manager, product manager, project manager, consultant, software developer, and agile pioneer. Jim was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Agile Management Forum, September 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal.
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