Scaling agentic AI isn’t just about having the latest tools — it requires clear guidance, the right context, and a culture that champions experimentation to unlock real value. At VentureBeat’s Transform 2025, Anu Bharadwaj, president of Atlassian, shared actionable insights into how the company has empowered its employees to build thousands of custom agents that solve real, everyday challenges. To build these agents, Atlassian has fostered a culture rooted in curiosity, enthusiasm and continuous experimentation.
“You hear a lot about AI top-down mandates,” Bharadwaj said. “Top-down mandates are great for making a big splash, but really, what happens next, and to who? Agents require constant iteration and adaptation. Top-down mandates can encourage people to start using it in their daily work, but people have to use it in their context and iterate over time to realize maximum value.”
That requires a culture of experimentation — one where short- to medium-term setbacks aren’t penalized but embraced as stepping stones to future growth and high-impact use cases.
Creating a safe environment
Atlassian’s agent-building platform, Rovo Studio, serves as a playground environment for teams across the enterprise to build agents.
