10:45 - 11:25
From Assistant to Agent: The Evolution of AI-Powered Development. Does It Make Us Smarter or Dumber?
AI coding tools have evolved from simple autocomplete suggestions to autonomous agents capable of writing, compiling, running, and testing code end-to-end. In this session, we'll explore the paradigm shift from passive AI assistants to active AI agents that can independently execute development workflows.
Through live demonstrations, we'll showcase how agentic AI systems can:
- Understand requirements and architect solutions
- Write complete, functional code across multiple files
- Compile and debug implementation issues
- Execute tests and iterate based on results
- Handle the entire development lifecycle with minimal human intervention
But this remarkable capability raises a critical question: as AI agents take on more of the cognitive load of software development, are we becoming more effective engineers—freed to focus on higher-level problem-solving and architecture—or are we at risk of losing essential skills and deep technical understanding?
Remko Weijnen, Remko is a Staff Engineer at
Cloudhouse, primarily focused on
research and development (R&D). With
over 20 years of experience in the IT
industry, Remko has developed deep
expertise in End User Computing,
Application and Desktop Delivery,
Security, and Reverse Engineering. His
developer background gives him a
unique understanding of Windows and
application internals, enabling him to
optimize applications for virtual
environments without compromising
security.
Remko shares his knowledge through
his well-known blog, presentations at
community events like E2EVC, the
Dutch Citrix User Group, and other
international forums. He is also a co-
founder and steering group member of
the Dutch Citrix User Group.