AI Engineer June 2026 Meetup

This month is a screening. We're pulling two of the standout talks from the recent AI Engineer Europe conference up on the big screen and watching them together — then talking through what they mean for how we actually build.

First up, Matt Pocock (AI Hero) in It Ain't Broke: Why Software Fundamentals Matter More Than Ever. After 18 months teaching developers to build with AI agents, Matt's found the ones who succeed aren't the people delegating everything or nothing — they're the ones leaning on engineering fundamentals like ubiquitous language, vertical slices, TDD, and deep modules. His argument: those decades-old ideas didn't break in the AI era, they got more important.

Then Tejas Kumar (IBM) in Harnesses in AI: A Deep Dive. When AI agents fail, we tend to blame the prompt — but Tejas argues the real fix is the "harness," the code and guardrails wrapped around the model that keep it on track. He demonstrates this live by taking a cheap, older model that can't reliably complete a simple web task and, without changing the prompt, layering in guardrails, a step that verifies the agent actually did what it claimed, and automatic login handling — until it works reliably.

Two complementary angles on the same problem: one about the engineering discipline around AI, the other about the scaffolding that makes unreliable models reliable. Come watch, then stick around to talk it through with the room.

Agenda
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
🥨 4:00 PM – Doors open + snacks and networking
👋 4:30 PM – Welcome and intro remarks
🎬 4:40 PM – Screening: Matt Pocock — It Ain't Broke: Why Software Fundamentals Matter More Than Ever
🎬 5:05 PM – Screening: Tejas Kumar — Harnesses in AI: A Deep Dive
💬 5:30 PM – Networking and discussion
🚗 6:00 PM – Go home and build

Address
Studio Common Area
10 2nd St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
See Meetup photo album Studio Common Area for map and photos.

Parking
Multiple parking options nearby:

• Studio parking ramp
• Street parking
• Parking ramp across 2nd St

Food + Drink
Food and beverages provided at 4:00 PM courtesy of our sponsor, Blank Metal.

What to Bring
Just yourself! We've got everything covered.

Important to Know
Registration is free but required — please RSVP so we can plan for capacity.

Accessibility
The Studio Common Area is wheelchair accessible.