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.

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.