Your curated GitHub Universe agenda: AI, ethics, and productivity

For the first time ever, the GitHub Universe team partnered with GitHub product experts, speakers, and GitHub Stars to launch curated agendas to help you navigate all of the Universe sessions. These agendas compile sessions for specific products, topics, and careers, like engineering leaders, security professionals, software developers, and more.

As a Senior Director of Developer Advocacy at GitHub, I am deeply committed to fostering collaboration and supporting the developer community’s growth and success. There’s no wrong way to attend Universe and the curated agendas prove that. My own set of curated sessions below focus on the intersection of AI and human skills in the development landscape. Each session addresses pressing questions about everything from ethical considerations and accessibility to skill relevance.

Whether you’re grappling with your evolving role as a developer in an AI-driven world, want to stay focused and productive while you code, or are curious about using GitHub Copilot, this curated agenda aims to keep you ahead of the curve.

And if you haven’t yet registered to attend GitHub Universe, what are you waiting for? Virtual registration is free!

Here are my picks:

The 10 sessions I’ll be attending at GitHub Universe

• Generative AI and the future of development
  • I’ve included this session in my Universe agenda because it promises to answer all my burning questions about GitHub Copilot, offering real-world guidance that could be a game-changer for us developers.
• How to do what AI just CAN’T: Proving your value when code is commoditized
  • This session dives into the real challenge of staying relevant as a developer in an AI-powered world. If you’re wondering how to stand out when AI can do some coding tasks faster, this talk could provide insights on harnessing your uniquely human skills and making them an asset in your tech career.
• AI for accessibility and beyond
  • Creating accessible technology is a responsibility for all developers, and this session shows how AI can help.
• How intentional prompts create game-changing suggestions
  • This session tackles the real frustrations of working with AI coding assistants and offers practical tips for making these tools work for you, not against you.
• Unlocking the power of AI in open source, the ethical way
  • Ethical considerations in open source and AI are critical, and this session helps developers navigate these complex waters.
• Take your command line skills to the next level with GitHub Copilot for CLI
  • I picked this session for my Universe agenda because it tackles the real-world headaches of wrestling with command line syntax and promises to show a smarter, less hair-pulling way to get things done in the terminal.
• AI: Superhero or super villain?
  • This session cuts through the hype around generative AI and large language models to discuss what really matters: how this tech can solve real problems and make life better, not just flashier.
• Coding with an AI pair programmer: Getting started with GitHub Copilot
  • This session digs into the nitty-gritty of GitHub Copilot, shedding light on how it can unburden us from coding grunt work. If you’re tired of syntax headaches and want to focus on what really excites you in development, this one’s for you.
• GitHub productivity via VS Code for rapid-context-switchers like me
  • Let’s be real—we all juggle a million things while coding. If you’re feeling scattered and want actionable ways to wrangle GitHub and VS Code into a productivity haven, this talk is a must-see.
• Quickly build and deploy OpenAI apps on Azure, infused with your own data
  • Interested in getting hands-on with generative AI? If you’re eager to dive into AI development without getting lost in complex tools, this talk promises a practical, start-to-finish guide that can kickstart your AI journey.
• How GitHub operationalizes AI for teamwide collaboration and productivity
  • This session is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how GitHub itself is leveling up with AI. If you’re curious about how cutting-edge tech is shaping our dev experience right now and what’s in store for the future, this is a talk you won’t want to miss.

I hope my curated agenda is beneficial in helping you plan your very own Universe journey! Curious about other learning paths? We have agendas for all kinds of GitHub products and careers, including security professionals, engineering leaders, the GitHub platform, and more.

Written by

Ashley Willis

@ashleymcnamara

Ashley Willis is the Senior Director of Developer Relations at GitHub, where she leads with a deep commitment to open source, community, and care. A longtime advocate for developers, Ashley has built a career around making technology more human, supporting contributors, amplifying underrepresented voices, and building resilient teams. Her work sits at the intersection of leadership, advocacy, and accessibility, with a focus on creating tools and spaces that genuinely serve the people who use them.