How APIs silently power EVERYTHING (ft. Kevin Swiber, CEO of Layered System)

What’s the future of API’s in an AI-powered world?

Kevin Swiber is an API strategy advisor with 15+ years of experience in standards and startups. They have a history of working in leading roles through software engineering, infrastructure operations, and enterprise architecture. In addition to their experience working at API companies like Apigee and Postman, Kevin is a member of the OpenAPI Initiative. Kevin is the CEO of Layered System, where they consult on the intersection of AI and APIs.

Kevin joins Stefan Avram and Jens Neuse to talk APIs, MCP, Federation, collaboration, and what’s coming next.

Spoiler: it’s APIs all the way down.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

It’s APIs All The Way Down:
APIs quietly power everything. Kevin, Stefan, and Jens unpack how APIs became the connective tissue of modern software, why this era feels different, and what it means for the future of digital products.

MCP: API Consumer, Not API Killer:
There have been claims that MCP (model context protocol) will replace APIs. But, as Kevin puts it, “MCP is built to consume APIs, not replace them. The host (an AI assistant like Claude) communicates with clients, which in turn communicate with servers that access various resources.” We discuss what this new layer means, how OpenAI and Anthropic are building around it, and why Sam Altman calls this "the protocol era."

Open Standards and Planning Your Escape Routes:
Kevin, Stefan & Jens talk big-bad vendor lock-in. They reflect on the history of API description formats and what led to the “OpenAPI advantage,” while sharing perspectives on the current API ecosystem and why they encourage companies to “plan their escape routes.”

API Design, Conway’s Law, and the Federation Fix:
Bad APIs often reflect bad org charts. Kevin, Stefan & Jens share lessons on designing APIs that scale with your team. We explore (GraphQL) Federation as a strategy to break down silos and avoid the pitfalls of Conway’s Law on system architecture.

What’s Next: Protocol Era, AI Agents, and the Future of APIs:
Are companies heading toward a new existential race to build internal API + AI layers?

Our hosts and Kevin share what to watch for, how to prepare, and what may be the real moat of the future.

If you care about APIs, AI, or building systems that scale, this episode is for you. Join us in the chat or the comments below!

HUGE thank you to Kevin Swiber for joining us today. Check out their blog here: https://www.layered.dev/

Tune in every Friday at 9 AM on ⁠YouTube (WunderGraph - Stefan & Jens)⁠ for new Live episodes!
Watch this episode here: 15+ Years of APIs (with Kevin Swiber, API Strategy Advisor)
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