Superagentic AI at the Google I/O and CAIS Conference: Reflections from Bay Area

Shashikant Jagtap

Last week, I returned to London from the San Francisco Bay Area with renewed energy, fresh insights, and a deep appreciation for the people driving artificial intelligence forward. Since back, suffering from Jet lag and  very bad cough and cold but I will deal with it. From May 17 to May 27, 2026, I immersed myself in a series of high-caliber events, including Google I/O 2026, the inaugural ACM Conference on AI and Agentic Systems (CAIS), the AWS Builders Showcase, the Google DeepMind Hackathon and Post I/O event, and several intimate founder gatherings in the San Francisco and Bay Area.

While the technical announcements and research presentations were outstanding, the true value of the trip came from the conversations, connections, and shared vision among builders from cafes, researchers in universities and CAIS.. The Bay Area remains a singular place where ambitious ideas meet world-class talent, and this week reinforced why it continues to shape the future of technology.

Trip

A Practical Beginning: AWS Partner Showcase SF

The trip started the moment I landed on May 18. After collecting my Google I/O badge, I went straight to the AWS Builders Showcase, hosted by AI Camp. This event offered the perfect entry point, focusing on real-world implementation rather than theoretical concepts.. Attendees and speakers tackled deployment challenges, evaluation frameworks, observability, and how agentic systems deliver measurable business value. I had the opportunity to meet Jason Lopatecki, CEO of Arize AI, along with professionals from Mistral AI, Coder, and other organizations. The collaborative atmosphere set a strong foundation for the rest of the week. Key highlights from the event was meeting Jason Lopatecki and Jady Liu who spoke mostly on the Agent Harnesses. Also glad catching up other speakers Rahul, Rohan and Rob to hear insights from their talks. Had fun visiting all the booths including Arize AI, Coder, Workato.

Google I/O 2026: Witnessing the Future Unfold

Google I/O 2026 formed the heart of the trip. The keynotes showcased substantial advancements in Gemini models, multimodal capabilities, agentic workflows, and developer tools. It felt less like viewing a distant roadmap and more like experiencing innovation in real time, particularly with progress in areas like Gemini Omni and enhanced agent orchestration with managed agents.

A personal highlight was meeting Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind. Having followed DeepMind’s work for years, the chance to speak with him briefly and take a selfie together was genuinely memorable. It humanized the rapid progress we often see only through screens. Being Londoner, his vision and passion to stay committed to the London always inspired me. I felt super lucky to take picture with him.  I dedicated significant time to the exhibition pavilions, especially the AI Pavilion, A2A /ADK and Quantum AI  demonstrations. Speaking with Ian and the team showcasing the Gemma models provided practical context that complemented the stage presentations. The evening block party created a relaxed environment for deeper discussions with developers, researchers, and product teams from Google and beyond. These informal moments often yielded the most valuable perspectives.

The Real Value: Conversations and Community

Throughout the week, I attended additional sessions, networking events, and founder meetups across San Francisco. One evening at a Bright Data event, I connected with the CTO of Hugging Face Thomas Wolf, Laura Modiano and several impressive founders. Many other meaningful interactions occurred in cafes, lobbies, and shared spaces, including Arize AI-related gatherings.

These conversations reinforced a vital lesson: innovation thrives through collaboration. Whether challenging assumptions or sharing hard-won lessons from production environments, the exchange of ideas accelerated understanding in ways no single keynote could achieve. The industry is clearly entering a phase where orchestration, evaluation, and system design matter as much as raw model capabilities.

Friday’s AI in Production mini-conference deepened this focus on execution, monitoring, and scaling. The following day at the Google DeepMind Hackathon, the hands-on energy was invigorating. Collaborating with talented engineers and researchers on rapid experimentation and iteration brought the week’s themes to life.

Moments of Reflection and Broader Perspectives

After days of intense activity, Sunday offered a welcome balance. Exploring San Francisco, including a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, provided space to reflect on the week’s insights amid the city’s iconic scenery. On Monday, visiting a friend at Stanford University offered another valuable lens. Campus conversations about research and startups bridged academic inquiry with practical application, highlighting both challenges and opportunities ahead.

CAIS 2026: Where Research Meets Practice

The trip culminated at the inaugural ACM Conference on AI and Agentic Systems (CAIS) on May 26. Focused on compound AI architectures, optimization, evaluation, and reliable deployment, the event brought together rigorous research with real-world engineering needs. I was fortunate to meet researchers behind influential projects such as DSPy and GEPA, along with contributors from the Laude Institute and other leading institutions. Omar Khattab and Lakshya Agrawwal are my idols and I felt incredibly lucky to meet them in person. I couldn’t take pictures with them in this trip.. I also meet with some incredible researchers from the Laude Lounge and author of meta-harness paper, Yonhoo Lee.

Key Takeaways from the Bay Area

This week crystallized several important themes:

  • Agentic AI is maturing rapidly and Agent Engineering is evolving. The focus has shifted from experimentation to production readiness, with strong emphasis on reliability and measurable outcomes.
  • Evaluation and observability are now central. Understanding how systems perform, fail, and improve has become a foundational discipline.
  • Compound architectures and harness Engineering represent the next frontier. Success increasingly depends on intelligently orchestrating multiple specialized components rather than relying on a single model.
  • Human connections remain irreplaceable. Technology advances at an astonishing pace, yet the most meaningful progress emerges from people willing to share knowledge and build together.

Looking Forward

I returned home energized and more optimistic than ever about the trajectory of artificial intelligence. The Bay Area continues to serve as a global nexus for those shaping this future, and participating in this ecosystem was both humbling and inspiring. I am grateful to the organizers, speakers, and everyone who shared their time and insights. If our paths crossed during the week, thank you for the conversation. If you are building in the agentic AI space, I would welcome the opportunity to connect and continue the dialogue.

The future of AI will not be defined by models alone, but by the communities that bring them to life. After this week in the Bay Area, I am more committed than ever to being part of that journey. I look forward to applying these experiences in my work and staying connected with the remarkable people I met. Here’s to building responsibly and collaboratively in the years ahead.