Thursday
Room 2
10:20 - 11:20
(UTC+11)
Talk (60 min)
Ask More. Build Better. Burn Out Less- Real Talk on AI, Devs & GitHub Copilot
The pace of tech is relentless. AI is everywhere. And developers, especially juniors are overwhelmed, confused, and afraid to ask for help. Seniors are expected to pick up the slack, but there is no slack. Burnout is real. Layoffs are brutal. And hope feels scarce. But what if AI wasn’t the threat? What if it was the lifeline?
In this talk, I'll share a raw and honest take on how GitHub Copilot can be used right. I’ll show how Ask Mode empowers learners to ask the “million questions” they’re afraid to ask and get answers that build confidence, not dependence. And how Agent Mode helps senior devs accelerate delivery, refactor legacy code, and surface security flaws without losing control of their architecture.
This isn’t a hype session. It’s a call to action: to use AI as a tool for growth, not replacement. To build better software, support each other, and stop burning out. Whether you’re early in career or leading the charge, this talk will challenge your assumptions and leave you with practical ways to thrive in the age of AI.
Michelle Sandford
I live at the heart of the coding community and help drive awareness and engagement as a developer advocate and technology evangelist. I present at around 50 Conferences and Events around the world each year on AI, Azure, GitHub, Open Source, GameDev and LinkedIn (Including NDC Oslo, London, Copenhagen, Porto, Melbourne; Techorama BE & NL; DDDPerth; GCAP; Google Dev Fest, MS TechReady, MS GeekReady, MS Ignite etc). I judge hackathons and encourage the next generation into technology careers. In 2023 I became the host of the Microsoft ANZ web show - New Breakpoint, which is a show for developers by developers. I am also a co-organiser for the Rust Perth Community Group. I was the #1 Microsoft Social Seller (highest engagement) on LinkedIn for several years and remain #1 SSI rank in team, top 1% in industry and top 1% in network. I run the Microsoft Student Accelerator Program for ANZ encouraging emerging developers to build on Azure.