Jack Dorsey's Block Made an AI Agent to Boost Its Own Productivity
May 21, 2025 12:19 PM Jack Dorsey's company went all-in on agents by deploying one capable of building software—and occasionally deleting stuff. Photo-Illustration:At a company-wide hackathon this month, developers at finance firm Block built a dizzying number of prototype tools including a database debugger, a program for identifying duplicated code, and an app that automates Bitcoin support.
The sudden productivity boost was driven by Goose, an artificial intelligence agent developed by Block several months ago that can help with coding and other work like knocking together data visualizations or mocking up new product features.
'We've always had really strong hack weeks, but this one was at another level,' says Jackie Brosamer, who leads the AI and data platform at Block. 'We have tens of ideas that we're looking to bring to production.'
Goose helped developers at Block to develop a new agent-to-agent communication server at the hackathon. The company says Goose has changed the way it works, not only helping automate code generation but also allowing non-engineers to dabble in coding or prototype for new apps or features.
I first spoke to Block several months ago, when Goose was a little less cooked than it is now. Developers at the company admitted that the agent increased their output but at the time also sometimes made mistakes like deleting the odd file (this can still happen sometimes). They ran the system on machines where any changes could easily be rolled back.
Agents are starting to change the way many developers and companies operate as AI models get better at managing code, using computers, and wielding tools. Over the past week, Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI have all touted agentic coding tools. Block uses Anthropic's Claude model by default, which is particularly good at coding and tool use.
Block CEO Jack Dorsey and the company's CTO, Dhanji Prasanna, concluded that agents would shake up their industry in fall of 2024, when improved AI models triggered a significant leap in the performance of many agents. Dorsey and Prasanna decided that Block should build its own agent and that engineers and other staff should dive headfirst into using it.
Block's Goose is available as open source (the name, in case you didn't guess, was inspired by Maverick's friend in the movie Top Gun ).
Goose can be powered by a range of different AI models and will run commands and access files and folders on a computer. Goose can also tap into a growing number of online tools, like cloud storage platforms or online databases, thanks to the Model Context Protocol scheme for agent communications developed by Anthropic.
I used the latest version of Goose to knock together a few simple games and a basic visualization. It does a nice job of handling tedious things like ensuring the right version of Python is available and installing packages. Other tools I've tried seem as capable, but the Goose interface is particularly easy and intuitive, and it seems likely to become more powerful as it gains access to other tools and services.
Brad Axen, an engineering lead at Block using Goose, told me recently that Goose has proven especially useful for helping engineers wrap their head around an unfamiliar code base. 'One of the things that works best is if you say 'Hey, I don't know how this works yet, could you please go find everything and give me a summary,'' he says.
Axen said back then that using an agent seemed to require a different mindset where you didn't expect the tool to be perfect and were prepared to roll back any missteps.
Block says that some developers were initially resistant to using Goose, reflecting skepticism I've heard from other coders who don't trust AI to code well or are reluctant to hand over their own agency. But the company has developed protocols for managing code produced using Goose, for example having humans review everything made at the hackathon for bugs before it is cleared for release. As the complexity of these agentic systems grows, managing stability and security may become a bigger challenge.
Axen says he's most excited to see how the server built during the hackathon can change the way other agents use Block's technology. 'It's a weird way of thinking about computers working together,' he says. 'But it's exciting.'
What do you think of Goose and the way agents are changing work? Send an email to hello@wired.com to let me know.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Gromutual Berhad's (KLSE:GMUTUAL) Solid Earnings May Rest On Weak Foundations
Gromutual Berhad's (KLSE:GMUTUAL) robust recent earnings didn't do much to move the stock. We think this is due to investors looking beyond the statutory profits and being concerned with what they see. AI is about to change healthcare. These 20 stocks are working on everything from early diagnostics to drug discovery. The best part - they are all under $10bn in marketcap - there is still time to get in early. To properly understand Gromutual Berhad's profit results, we need to consider the RM989k gain attributed to unusual items. While it's always nice to have higher profit, a large contribution from unusual items sometimes dampens our enthusiasm. We ran the numbers on most publicly listed companies worldwide, and it's very common for unusual items to be once-off in nature. Which is hardly surprising, given the name. Assuming those unusual items don't show up again in the current year, we'd thus expect profit to be weaker next year (in the absence of business growth, that is). Note: we always recommend investors check balance sheet strength. Click here to be taken to our balance sheet analysis of Gromutual Berhad. We'd posit that Gromutual Berhad's statutory earnings aren't a clean read on ongoing productivity, due to the large unusual item. Because of this, we think that it may be that Gromutual Berhad's statutory profits are better than its underlying earnings power. But on the bright side, its earnings per share have grown at an extremely impressive rate over the last three years. At the end of the day, it's essential to consider more than just the factors above, if you want to understand the company properly. So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Gromutual Berhad at this point in time. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Gromutual Berhad. This note has only looked at a single factor that sheds light on the nature of Gromutual Berhad's profit. But there is always more to discover if you are capable of focussing your mind on minutiae. Some people consider a high return on equity to be a good sign of a quality business. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
16 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Doritos, M&Ms Could Be Forced to Include Warning Labels in Texas
A Texas bill on the verge of becoming law would require labels on packaged food from Skittles to Mountain Dew that warn about ingredients 'not recommended for human consumption' by other countries. Texas Senate Bill 25, backed by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is now awaiting the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott. Foods containing certain ingredients would require warning labels on new packaging beginning in 2027 in order to be sold in Texas, which is the second-most populous US state with 31 million residents.
Forbes
25 minutes ago
- Forbes
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Starts Next Month—Here Are All The Details
The 2025 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is right around the corner. The department store's biggest sale of the year will open to select Nordstrom cardholders on July 8 and then to the general public on July 12. In years past, we've seen deals on top brands including Longchamp, Hoka and Charlotte Tilbury. Nordstrom recently announced that it'll be running a preview of some of this year's deals on June 26. In the meantime, here's everything we know about the sale so far—plus eight Nordstrom deals worth browsing right now. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is the department store's biggest sale of the year. The annual event features thousands of deals across just about every category, from fashion staples to skincare to baby gear. It's typically a good opportunity to stock up on designer finds and fall must-haves for less. The 2025 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale opens to select cardholders on July 8 through July 11. When exactly cardholders get access depends on how much they've spent at the store in the past year. Then, the sale is set to open to the general public on July 12. Nordstrom's Half-Yearly Sale is smaller bi-annual event that typically occurs once in the spring and once in the fall. Its Anniversary Sale takes place once a year over the summer and is known for major price cuts across all categories. Both sales always have notable offers, but the Anniversary Sale typically includes steeper discounts on more coveted items, as well as deals on fall and winter styles. Yes, Nordstrom cardholders can shop the sale early. The allotted dates are connected to your membership tier, which is a reflection of how much you've spent at the department store over the past year. The tiers are as follows: You don't have to wait until the Anniversary Sale to find good deals at Nordstrom. Here's what our assistant deals editor recommends adding to your cart right now.
