COMMON POWERUp 2025

AI has become an unstoppable and unavoidable force in the industry. When you integrate IBM i with a powerful AI stack, the potential is indescribable! In this session, we will learn about some key AI technologies and explore a couple techniques for integrating IBM i with them.

In the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence, the ethical implications of AI systems have become a critical concern for developers, researchers, and policymakers alike. This session aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the ethical challenges posed by AI and offer practical techniques to address hate, abuse, and profanity (HAP), biases, and violations of privacy or intellectual property.

IBM i continues to have a loyal base of users running mission-critical applications. Its robustness and stability make it an ideal choice for industries that require high availability and security. However, as the technology landscape evolves and businesses face growing demands for greater flexibility, efficiency, and a better user experience, there is an increasing push to modernize the applications and user interfaces on the IBM i platform.

One of the key driving factors behind this trend is the need to attract younger talent. Younger generations of developers and IT professionals are more familiar with modern technologies like web applications, mobile apps, and cloud platforms.

By transitioning traditional IBM i applications to web-based platforms, businesses can improve accessibility, streamline workflows, and ensure that users can interact with the system from any device, anywhere; for example mobile applications ensure that IBM i systems can support the growing demand for remote work and mobile-first experiences, giving users the flexibility to perform tasks on the go. Finally, leveraging AI-driven enhancements will not only improve automation, but also enable smarter decision-making, predictive analytics, and more personalized user experiences.

Various factors are driving businesses to modernize, and we will explore some of the key market needs and how they can be addressed

AI is transforming software development across all platforms, and IBM i is no exception. But how do you effectively leverage these powerful tools while maintaining the high standards IBM i users expect? In this session, we'll cut through the hype and show you practical applications of AI in daily IBM i development. From code generation to documentation to testing to cool new AI-based application capabilities, you'll see real-world examples of how AI can enhance productivity while preserving code quality. We'll demonstrate best practices for AI integration and provide guidance for successful implementation in your environment.

Python is becoming an essential tool in the IBM i ecosystem. This session will provide a beginner-friendly introduction to setting up and using Python on IBM i. Topics include calling Python from PASE, SSH access, development in VS Code, and methods for integrating Python with RPG and SQL.

This session will introduce IBM i developers to GitHub Copilot and demonstrate how it can enhance RPG programming. We’ll cover installation and setup within VS Code, including the Code for IBM i extension. Attendees will see how Copilot generates code, assists with debugging, and improves efficiency through inline suggestions and Copilot Chat.