STARWEST 2026 - C-Level
Customize your STARWEST 2026 experience with sessions covering C-level topics.
Sunday, September 20
Tuesday, September 22
Agentic AI: From Rules to Reasoning
NewAI agents have existed for decades, but generative AI has fundamentally changed what agents can do and how they are designed and built. Come and explore the evolution of AI agents across two major waves. First, learn the foundations of Agentic AI through agents built using rules, heuristics, and traditional machine learning, examining where these approaches excel and why they struggle with complexity, ambiguity, and scale. Then dive into the second wave of agents powered by generative AI and multimodal large language models. These modern agents can reason, plan, use tools, and interact...
Wednesday, September 23
The Future of Test Automation: Trends, Challenges, and Your Burning Questions - Panel
Test automation is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by AI, continuous testing, and the ever-increasing complexity of modern software development. Join us for an engaging panel discussion where industry experts will explore the latest trends in test automation, including AI-powered testing, low-code/no-code automation, and the role of testers in a rapidly changing landscape. This session will also serve as an open forum for attendees to ask any lingering questions from the conference. Whether it’s about the future of automation, best practices, or the impact of AI on testing roles...
Friday, September 25
AI in Testing Is Not a Tool Strategy: A Leadership Workshop to Build Vision, Governance, and Measurable Impact
AI is no longer a side experiment in testing; it is a leadership mandate. Yet many organizations remain stuck in tool demos, disconnected pilots, unclear ROI, and "automation theater." Quality and engineering leaders are being asked to “bring AI into testing,” but few have a practical blueprint for turning that ask into a scalable business strategy. In this high-impact session, we move beyond the AI buzzwords to deliver a strategic playbook for championing an AI testing strategy. Leaders will learn how to transition from reactive tools-first adoption to a 360-degree vision that connects...
Summit Lean Coffee: Leadership Secrets from the Room
While everyone has their own approach to leadership, we all have our go-to tips and tricks that can help others lead teams, organizations, and ourselves. These may be techniques for motivating staff, growing team skills, managing senior executives, or finding the right people for your organization.
During this collaborative lean coffee session, Jeffery Payne will facilitate a discussion to elicit and discuss those leadership secrets used effectively by Summit participants. Using a lean coffee meeting format, participants will choose which aspects of leadership to discuss, vote on...
Think Tank Discussion Parts I, II, III, and Wrap-Up
Think Tank Discussion Part I: Problem Definitions | 11:15 AM
Join with your peers in an engaging and highly interactive session to discuss the issues that affect you most. Using answers to the question “As a Leader, What is Keeping You Up at Night?” posed at Thursday’s evening reception, participants will form small groups to work on finding solutions to pressing leadership & management issues. Discussions will review identified issues, barriers to change, and focus on innovative strategies and practical next steps. At the end of the think tank, all feedback will be collected and...