"Are we human, or are we dancer?" (Brandon Flowers, 2008).

The last two years have brought unparalleled change - mainstream adoption of automated code-generation, mass layoffs at a scale not seen in decades... and a winter World Cup!

With major breakthroughs happening by the week, the runaway AI train keeps gathering momentum and in the blink of a collective eye a chatbot can seemingly do our jobs. But what value-add remains for the thinking human? Or are we all just hanging around to be rendered gradually irrelevant?

In this talk, we'll look at what Generative AI is and most certainly isn't, why it can both help and hinder our function as software engineers, and how we can support our teams and communities to navigate an ever-accelerating pace of change.

We'll also examine the uniquely human traits that are indispensable, why the game has changed for Imposter Syndrome, and - amidst the worst mental health crisis in a generation - what steps we can take to protect our wellbeing, find calm amongst the chaos, and learn to embrace being "Human After All" (Daft Punk, 2005).

Keynote: 30 minutes