AI is changing software development at a pace no one can ignore. 

Developers now have powerful AI tools that can help us write code, understand unfamiliar codebases, troubleshoot problems, learn new frameworks, and get answers in seconds. That is an incredible opportunity. But as these tools become more capable, I believe something else is becoming more valuable too: learning directly from other developers. 

That’s one of the reasons I continue to believe so strongly in events like VSLive!. 

Learn from people who have done the work 

One of the things I value most about VSLive! is its focus on practical developer education. 

For more than three decades, VSLive! has helped developers, software architects, and engineers stay current as Microsoft development has evolved. Today, that means learning about AI-powered development alongside the technologies developers are already using to build applications. 

You’re learning from experts who can explain not only how something works, but why they chose one approach over another and what they learned along the way. 

That context is difficult to reproduce outside of this kind of event. 

Get hands-on and ask the next question 

VSLive! gives developers opportunities to move beyond simply hearing about a technology. When you encounter an unexpected error, question a design choice, or discover that your implementation behaves differently than expected, you can dig deeper. 

And because you’re learning alongside experts and other developers, you can ask the next question. 

That feedback loop can turn an interesting technology into something you’re confident enough to bring back to your team. 

The hallway can be as valuable as the session 

Some of the most useful moments at a developer conference don’t happen on a slide. 

They happen after a session when you ask the speaker one more question. They happen over lunch when another developer explains how their team solved a problem you’ve been wrestling with. Sometimes they happen because you meet someone who becomes part of your professional network for years. 

VSLive! creates room for those conversations alongside the technical content and access to Microsoft Product Managers. 

Step away from the backlog and think about what comes next 

Most developers don’t spend their normal workday thinking broadly about where software development is headed. They’re fixing bugs, reviewing pull requests, shipping features, attending meetings, and working through the backlog. 

A conference gives you an opportunity to step outside that cycle and ask bigger questions: 

What should I learn next? 

How should AI change the way I build software? 

What are other teams doing with .NET, Azure, GitHub Copilot, and modern application architecture? 

What could I bring back that would make my team better? 

VSLive! gives you a place to explore those questions with people who are asking many of the same things. 

Put your Visual Studio subscriber benefit to work 

If you have a Visual Studio Subscription, VSLive! is also a great example of why it’s worth exploring the benefits available to you. Visual Studio subscribers have access to exclusive subscriber pricing, including significant discounts on VSLive! events.  

Before you register, check your benefits at my.visualstudio.com and take advantage of your VSLive! subscriber discount of up to 900 dollars.  

Even if you’re not a subscriber, there’s still an opportunity to save: enter VSLMS to receive up to 600 dollars off VSLive! registration. 

Join us at VSLive! Orlando 

VSLive! Orlando is part of Live! 360 Tech Con at Universal Orlando from November 15-20, 2026. 

Topics include: 

• Modern software engineering 

• Cutting-edge AI 

• The core of .NET 

• Full stack web development 

• Database development 

• Developing new experiences 

• Human factors in engineering 

If you’re trying to keep pace with AI while deepening your skills in .NET, C#, Azure, modern software engineering, data, web development, and the Microsoft developer stack, there is real value in spending a few days learning alongside other developers in expert led sessions. 

Join us at VSLive! Orlando and make time to learn, experiment, ask questions, and connect with the developer community. And if you’re planning ahead for 2027, save the dates: VSLive! will be heading to Vegas March 22-26 and Austin May 2-6. 

I hope to see you there.