Summary of Insights from Undercurrent 2026
Just returned from San Francisco, where I spoke at an engaging data engineering event hosted by Confluent. Surrounded by legends like Maxime Beauchemin and Josh Wills, I discussed our recent Practical Data Pulse Survey with 194 professionals. Here are some key takeaways:
- AI Adoption: Nearly all respondents (99%) use AI tools in their workflows.
- Speed vs. Quality: 57% report increased coding speed, but questions arise about production quality.
- Key Concerns:
- 74% of legacy modernization projects fail.
- 71% are optimistic about their careers, indicating AI’s potential as a tool rather than a threat.
What matters most going forward? Data modeling and semantics, which many believe are crucial for organizational success amidst AI integration.
Let’s discuss how these findings can shape our industry moving forward! Share your thoughts below or click to explore the full survey insights!
