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Meet our new AI superheroes: the Daemon AI-First Squad
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Daemon
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In a time of rapid, sometimes even unsettling change, some businesses are jumping on new tech while others might hide away. At Daemon, we're very aware of this. We’ve been listening to see how people feel about AI and how we can help out. That’s why we’ve built a new team: a group of expert, experienced software engineers who can boost and train teams with AI.
The AI-First Squad combines three specialist AI engineers with extensive experience between them. They’re passionate about creating a runway to AI, making it more accessible for teams.
Our unofficial superheroes, the AI-First Squad, have a clear goal: they’re focused on helping organisations bring AI into their work in a way that’s practical, sustainable, and fits their needs. We had a discussion with them about what ‘AI-First’ means and how it can help businesses in a time of rapid change.
Meet Daemon’s AI super-squad
Our AI-First Squad is made up of three rockstar engineers: Dale Hough, Karim Allaouat, and Sihle Mabaleka. Each brings a different background, from cloud strategy and fintech to consulting and engineering, but all share a common goal: empowering teams through AI.
Instead of dropping in for a quick project, the squad integrates directly with client teams, working alongside developers, testers, analysts, and leaders.
They spot opportunities, clear roadblocks, and help weave AI into everyday workflows. This way, real change happens from within, building skills and confidence that stick around long after the squad’s gone.
We caught up with them to hear what’s next.
What are you most looking forward to as part of the AI-First Squad, and what difference do you hope to make?
Sihle: I see this as a technological revolution. AI can dramatically expand access to knowledge, especially in communities that have historically been excluded. It is our chance to help businesses harness that opportunity.
Dale: I want to support junior developers and less experienced team members. AI can help them learn and contribute more quickly by offering knowledgeable, context-aware assistance, built on their codebases.
Karim: The rapid pace of AI development is thrilling and intimidating. I’m excited to help translate that pace into clarity and practical value, helping teams move from hype to meaningful action.
What are the key challenges you expect to face when introducing AI to teams?
Karim: Technologies are evolving fast, but processes often lag. Our role is to bridge that gap, making sure tools and workflows evolve together.
Sihle: Poor communication and unwieldy processes. There’s a lot of opportunity in the handovers and organisational touchpoints. We aim to streamline those with better workflows.
Dale: Some may fear AI will replace them. We must guide teams to see how AI empowers rather than displaces. And staying current with rapidly shifting tools is a real challenge in itself.
Which stages of the software lifecycle do you feel strongest in, and where do you see the most opportunity?
Dale: Documentation is often overlooked and poorly done. AI presents a chance to create more complete and shareable documents, if given enough context from earlier steps.
Karim: We contribute across the lifecycle, but the planning and requirements stages are especially fertile ground. Aggregating knowledge and context across teams helps surface the right priorities early.
Sihle: I focus on technical strategy and implementation. The exciting potential of AI lies in helping teams evolve their context and initiate work with ease, even in complex ecosystems.
Daemon’s long-standing philosophy has always been about choosing the right tool for the job. AI-First isn’t a big shift; it’s just an extension of that, built on agility and clarity. The squad is here to cut through the noise, experiment quickly, and help teams and clients think and work more AI-first.
Sihle emphasises that this is a mindset change: “Daemon already has strong talent and is already implementing AI tools. Now our goal is to move faster, iterate quicker, and help clients do the same.”
If you had free rein, what’s one change you’d love to drive using AI?
Dale: I’d tackle friction in legacy systems. Improving outdated development lifecycles without compromising quality would mean more time spent on work that adds value.
Sihle: I’m drawn to resilient systems, distributed, autonomous systems that scale predictably. AI can help enable long-context, long-term implementations, not just short bursts.
Karim: I care about developer experience, stripping out tedious and repetitive tasks. We want to give back time and mental energy for creativity and real problem solving.
From a business perspective, why should companies invest in making their IT teams AI-empowered?
Sihle: AI can transform organisational flow by speeding up feedback, enhancing system delivery, and cultivating a culture of experimentation and continuous learning.
Dale: Many companies chase AI without knowing how to use it properly. That risks wasting investment. We help them apply it, driving efficiency, better code and happier teams.
Karim: When developers are freed from boring tasks, morale soars. That translates into better business outcomes.
One of the AI-First Squad’s main goals is to bridge the gap between AI innovation and processes. The squad tests, tweaks, and incorporates AI tailored to each team's specific needs and goals.
Daemon’s motto is to leave things better than they found them. So the team doesn’t just deliver and move on; they work closely with teams to solve tough problems, improve adoption, and develop sustainable workflows. Clients get better results and build lasting internal skills.