Abstract
AI in the software lifecycle is not a single leap — it’s a continuum of autonomy. We’ve moved from AI as a tool, to task-oriented agents, and now to multi-agent platforms. On the horizon are fully autonomous systems that promise speed and scale we’ve never seen before.
But here’s the risk: in the rush to adopt, too many teams are suffering from architectural amnesia. Governance fades. Trade-offs aren’t measured. Technical debt compounds at machine speed.
This keynote explores the AI Autonomy Continuum and what it means for architects, engineers, and technology leaders. At each stage — from copilots to multi-agent ecosystems — I’ll highlight the architectural principles that must not be forgotten: governance, experimentation, trade-off analysis, risk management, and resilience.
The message is clear: as systems gain autonomy, the role of architecture becomes more critical. Without disciplined guidance, autonomy amplifies risk just as quickly as it accelerates capability. Architects must design the guardrails that make each step toward autonomy safe, secure, and sustainable.
Speaker
Tracy (“Trac”) Bannon
Software Architect and Researcher @The MITRE Corporation, Host & Journalist of "Real Technologists Podcast", DevOps Ambassador
Passionate Software Architect and Change Agent who writes, speaks, teaches, and practices my craft every day. As an accomplished software architect, engineer, and researcher, I've worked across commercial and government clients. Understanding complex problems and working to deliver value at speed is what drives me. I focus on bringing leading-edge techniques to modern software practices including applying AI/ML/Generative AI to the full software development lifecycle.
As a long-time advocate for diversity in technology, I am helping to narrow the diversity gaps as a mentor, sponsor, volunteer, and friend.
𝙒𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠: you see, I'm just as passionate about mentoring and training as I am about delivering valuable software! I love community and knowledge building with my teams, my clients, and the next generation of technologists by leading working groups and sharing experience stories. Another avenue for mentoring and community building is publishing, speaking, and blogging to get the word out. You can catch me at industry events, on my website, or through podcasts like 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀.
Much of my time is invested as a Senior Principal in MITRE Corporation’s Advanced Software Innovation Center.
