Interesting comments on big goals for their organizations and the community this morning at MnTech Outlook 2026.

Some observations:

  • No surprise that AI and transformation was top of everyone’s list.
  • Pratt: “we are going to have a reduction in our white collar workforce”
  • Tomes shared his personal experiences vibe coding. Playing and directly engaging with new tech is critical.
  • Bahner: we still need coding cause somebody has to read and verify the code. I agree we need talented developers but I don’t think this is why. Nobody can read machine language or assembly. Abstraction matters. Is agentic developmetn just a new abstraction?

Thanks to Renee Edwards (Optum), Eric Pratt (Senator), Angie Schulke (Star Tribune), Kristin Bahner (Representative), and Tarek Tomes (State of Minnesota) for sharing with everyone.