Featured Event

Smarter IBM i Development: AI Agents & Distributed SQL

When:

November 18th, 2026

Hour:

5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Where:

ZUZU
202 Main St
Farmingdale
NY 11735

Smarter IBM i Development: AI Agents & Distributed SQL:

From finding data across systems with SQL three-part naming to agent-first coding workflows

Modern IBM i teams are being asked to move faster, work across more systems, and still keep quality and accountability in the loop.

Join LISUG for a two-speaker November meeting focused on smarter development practices: first with a deep dive into distributed data access using SQL three-part naming, then with a practical look at six months of agent-first coding.

Pre-Session: Finding Data in the Forest: Exploring Three-Part Naming in SQL

The pre-session explores distributed data access. Gregory Simmons will show how SQL three-part naming can simplify working across IBM i environments by allowing developers to reference remote objects with RelationalDatabase.Schema.Object syntax. Attendees will learn how to configure remote database access, run distributed SQL queries, stage remote data locally, and think about reusable approaches for querying multiple systems across the network.

Main Session: 10x Development with AI Agents: Lessons from Six Months of Agent-First Coding

The main session explores what happens when a software developer stops writing every line by hand and starts building with AI coding agents instead. Ashish Thomas will share lessons from Codex-style workflows mapped to IBM Bob and broader enterprise coding-assistant patterns, including how agents can help explore unfamiliar technology stacks, generate code, write tests, debug issues, and move from idea to implementation faster.

This session is for IBM i developers, technical leaders, and system teams who want practical ways to build faster, automate responsibly, and work with data spread across multiple systems.

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Schedule

Pre-Session

Finding Data in the Forest: Exploring Three-Part Naming in SQL

5:00 PM

Networking & Cocktail Hour

Connect with fellow members and enjoy our open bar.

6:00 PM

Dinner & Q&A

Interactive discussion over dinner.

7:00 PM

Main Session

10x Development with AI Agents: Lessons from Six Months of Agent-First Coding

8:00 PM

Session Ends

Wrapping up with final takeaways and community conversation.

9:00 PM

Keynote Speakers

Gregory Simmons

Project Manager at P.C. Richard & Son

Gregory Simmons is a Project Manager with P.C. Richard & Son. He started on the IBM i platform in 1994, graduated with a degree in Computer Information Systems in 1997, and has been working on the i ever since. He has been a registered instructor with the IBM Power Schools Academy since 2007, holds a COMMON Application Developer certification, IBM Champion, a member of the CAAC and is a contributing author at ITJungle.com.

Ashish Thomas

AI Software Engineer at PC Richard & Son

Ashish Thomas is an IBM Champion and AI Software Engineer at PC Richard & Son, specializing in generative AI, ecommerce, and full-stack software development. His work focuses on software development and practical applications of AI in business and development workflows. He volunteers with LISUG as a Director-at-Large, working alongside the board to plan and run member events and support the communications, digital operations, and coordination behind them. Ashish is also the founder of New York BlendIn, a clothing brand, and Creative Branding, a company providing customized merchandise for branding and marketing. Ashish is passionate about AI and building useful technology. His interests include agent-based development, open-source software, and sharing practical ideas and tools with the broader developer community.

What Will You Learn?

Use AI Agents With Accountability

Learn practical patterns for prompting, task breakdown, code review, tests, debugging, architectural guardrails, and keeping human ownership in the loop.

Move From Idea to Implementation Faster

See how agent-first workflows can help explore unfamiliar stacks, generate code, write tests, and turn rough ideas into working software.

Query Distributed IBM i Data

Understand how SQL three-part naming can reference remote objects, execute distributed queries, stage remote data locally, and support reusable multi-system reporting patterns.

Register Today!

Reserve your spot for a practical two-speaker LISUG evening on AI-assisted development, agent-first coding workflows, and distributed IBM i data access with SQL three-part naming.