JNation 2026: Two Perspectives on Building Software in the Age of AI

What happens when software engineers spend two days surrounded by thousands of developers discussing the same topic? At JNation 2026, the answer was hard to miss: AI was everywhere. From keynote stages to hallway conversations, developers were debating the same questions many teams are facing today. How do we move beyond AI experiments? Which tools are worth exploring? And how do we embrace new technologies without chasing every trend?

We spoke with Tiago Correia Santos and David Pascoal to hear what stood out from this year’s event and what they’re bringing back to Mercedes-Benz.io.

Tiago Correia Santos

System Architect|MB.ioneer since November 2019

Fun fact:

One of his hobbies is related with DYI house renovation.

David Pascoal

Frontend Engineer|MB.ioneer since March 2021

Fun fact:

He went from never running 10k to half a marathon under a year just because of a challenge.

From AI Concepts to Production-Ready Systems

For Tiago, one session stood above the rest. The talk “Choose Your Own Adventure in Agentic Design Patterns” explored how collaborative AI systems can move beyond simple demonstrations and become production-ready solutions.

It showed the potential of Agentic AI and bridged the gap between basic agent tutorials and production-ready architecture. It offered a hands-on roadmap for building sophisticated, collaborative AI systems in Java, which is crucial in real-world environments.

What caught his attention wasn’t just the technology itself, but the growing need for solid architectural approaches behind AI systems.

As organisations move from experimentation to implementation, understanding how agents collaborate, make decisions, and integrate into existing systems becomes increasingly important.

The session also sparked interest in frameworks such as LangChain4j and the Agent Development Kit (ADK).

We should invest time exploring existing AI frameworks such as LangChain4j and ADK to better understand their potential for agent orchestration and the value they can bring to our product development.

Everyone Is Trying to Make Sense of AI

While technical sessions provided plenty of inspiration, one broader theme emerged throughout the conference.

According to Tiago, the opening keynote “You, AI, and the Future of Society” reinforced a reality the industry is already experiencing.

It was a clear re-confirmation that AI is completely reshaping the software development industry and society in general.

What resonated most was seeing a community openly discussing how to use these technologies responsibly and meaningfully, it was “interesting to see that we all acknowledge that and that everyone is trying to make sense of it while focusing on using it to provide value to human society.”

David noticed a similar pattern throughout the event, both inside and outside the conference rooms.

It’s always interesting to see how people perceive AI, the buzz around it, and what people are doing with it.

For him, some of the most valuable insights came through conversations with other professionals. And he adds: “Through talking with old friends, I was able to have a peek at how other companies are adapting to this new paradigm shift.”

A Different Take on Human-AI Collaboration

Not all discussions around AI focused on architectures and frameworks.

One of David’s favourite sessions, “How to Build Your Own Fun and Absurd Pair Programmer”, explored a more human side of the technology.

The idea was simple: what if your AI assistant reflected your personality, humour, and way of thinking?

It was an interesting talk about using AI as a complementary sidekick. Someone funny that shares your sense of humour to keep you focused or provide some distraction when needed.

While it wasn’t the most technically advanced session of the conference, it left a lasting impression.

It gave AI a human touch. In a time of high uncertainty, it’s interesting to think about how AI can help you in a more humane way.

The talk served as a reminder that technology adoption isn’t only about capabilities. It’s also about how people experience the tools they use every day.

Building for What’s Next

When asked what JNation changed for them, neither engineer focused on a specific framework or trend. Instead, both reflected on changing the mindset.

For Tiago, the future brings a new generation of engineering challenges.

After JNation, building systems means new interesting challenges around emerging topics such as new frameworks and technologies in software development.

For David, success will depend on balancing curiosity with critical thinking.

Building systems means adapting fast to new paradigms, while avoiding the trap of adopting them too quickly without understanding their real value first, and staying optimistic about the future.

More Questions Than Answers - And That’s Okay

If JNation 2026 proved one thing, it’s that the industry is still figuring things out.

The tools are evolving, new frameworks appear every week and expectations continue to shift.

But amid all the uncertainty, one common thread united speakers, attendees, and conversations across the event: a willingness to learn, experiment, and share experiences. And perhaps that’s the most important takeaway of all.

As engineers continue exploring what AI means for software development, conferences like JNation aren’t just about finding answers but for asking better questions.