You're either trying to decide if the Product AI Summit is worth your time, or you're building a case for your boss to cover the flight and hotel. Maybe both. Either way, you're scanning this post looking for ammunition, something concrete enough to justify blocking out April 16th and booking a trip to Irvine.
We'll get to the ten reasons in a moment. But first, a freebie that didn't make the list. (On purpose, because I'm using it in this introduction)
Quick sidebar. You're reading a blog post on the internet in 2026 and are probably wondering if these are even real human thoughts? Honestly, they are. Hold that feeling for a second. We're coming back to it.
We live in an "era" where you can't fully trust what you're reading, watching, or listening to. AI can do it all, and the line between "real person" and "AI" gets blurrier every week. You felt it just now, reading that sidebar. That little flicker of "wait, is this...?"
That's exactly the reason we’re hosting an event.
The Product AI Summit is a live, in-person gathering where actual humans sit near each other and talk about AI. Just those involved in building products listening and comparing notes on how this technology is reshaping their work. You can look people in the eye. You can hear the hesitation when someone admits they don't have it all figured out yet. You can't fake that.
In a world that's getting harder to trust, a room full of real people having real conversations might be the most valuable thing you attend all year. And that's before we even get to the list.
Now, to our list… Here are ten more reasons to show up (or to forward to whoever approves your travel).
1. Build Connections That Matter (For Work at Least)
My family doesn't get it when I talk about building products. Even some people I work around will give me a simple nod if I choose to overwhelm them with the things I'm working on. There is something special about having a conversation with someone who actually is dealing with what I'm dealing with.
When you pack a room with people who are all wrestling with the same nightmare and excited about the same things as you, something shifts. These are the conversations you fumble for your phone to take a note, because you can't wait to use it.
2. What's Happening and Where We're Going
The AI space moves fast. Just a few weeks ago Anthropic released a new Opus model. The email came in and I immediately sank in my chair, sighed, then started digging. It's a lot to keep up with, and not keeping up just doesn't feel wise, well not for me at least.
I speak with roughly 8 strangers a week. Want to know the number one reason they are talking to me? They want to keep up with what's going on outside of their bubble. The FOMO that AI is creating is as real. While the event definitely isn't going to stop that from happening, it can at least give you access to people who stay on top of it and, if a new release happens during the event, we can talk about it (or turn the event into an emotional support group).
3. Centercode's 25th Anniversary
This is a special occasion that we would love to share with our friends, customers, and people with a similar vision for building great products. We'll be hosting a once in a lifetime dinner party to celebrate 25 years of Centercode and the prospective right of passage that is potentially "pain-free" car rentals.
4. Level Up Your Skills
I probably don't need to spend a bunch of time convincing you to continuously improve what you do. We have set up the event so that all of the keynotes, workshops, networking, and SWEET printed materials favor professional development. You will be able to walk away learning more about AI, about how your peers are using it, and what the future holds for us.
5. Trends From Peers and Pros
Anyone can subscribe to the newsletters or follow someone that confidently solved the problem already. But knowing which trends deserve your attention and which ones are just great YouTube titles? That requires talking to people who are actually building this stuff.
You'll hear from teams who've been running AI features for months. Who've seen what works when the novelty wears off and users start expecting things to just... work.
6. Escape to Southern California
Spring in Southern California, tough to beat that. Seventy-five degrees. Actual sunshine. No jacket required for stepping outside between sessions in order to touch drought friendly artificial grass. I'm also knocking on wood, you just can't see it or hear it.
The nearest airport is only a few miles away. There's a major outdoor mall right across the street. We've got the beach, Disneyland, and SO MANY more things. I'll stop there so you don't think I'm getting paid by the California Tourism Board (I'm not, but if you know someone, hit me up.)
7. Good Food? Yes, Chef.
While you are at the event, food is covered. As a fan of food myself, I'm pretty excited about our menu. I apparently have a reputation on LinkedIn for being excited about tacos (I may or may not have hosted half a dozen events that included a taco bar). And since variety is the spice of life… I suggest you try a quesadilla!
Yep, it's happening again. I'm happy to announce we will have a taco bar, but it's for the networking happy hour the night before on April 15th. The 16th will have breakfast, lunch, and dinner available to those that signed up (They probably won't have tacos, but let's talk.)
8. A Warm Blanket of Empathy with Real Direction
As someone who obsesses over AI, I love it. As someone who has to work with AI and "figure it out", it haunts me. Gathering together with people who feel that same thing is like chicken soup for the soul (I think that's what that book is about, right?)
You really aren't alone in all of this, we at Centercode, your peers at other organizations, and those people that are in the market for jobs are all trying to figure it out. This in-person event is the support you need to make a real impact at your business.
9. Who Doesn't Like Swag?
We're all adults here. But good swag is still good swag.
Especially anniversary swag. The limited-edition stuff you know won't be available anywhere else. Things that sit on your desk and remind you of those "aha" moments. That start conversations with teammates who couldn't make it.
Having tangible reminders when you're back in the day-to-day grind? Matters more than you'd think.
10. What's Next for Product Validation
This is the big one.
Where is product development actually headed? Not the breathless predictions from analysts or the influencer desperately in need of your like and follow. The practical reality of where product validation is going, based on what's working today.
Early access to the next phase of thinking. The stuff being tested now but not widely discussed yet. Strategic insights that help you position your team ahead of the curve instead of constantly playing catch-up.
And at 4pm that day? We're making a major announcement about something we've been working on. Something that changes how product teams think about validation in the AI era. You'll hear it first. In person. Before anyone else does.
Register Now
So there you have it. Ten reasons to put in front of your boss (or yourself, if you're the one approving the budget). Plus that whole authenticity thing we kicked off with - which, let's be honest, might be reason enough on its own.
Look, you clicked on this post because you're already thinking about it. You wouldn't have made it this far if you weren't at least curious. The question isn't whether this event sounds useful, you already know it does. The question is whether you're going to do something about it or just add it to your "maybe someday" pile.
April 16th. Irvine. Real people talking about real problems you're probably dealing with right now.
Stop overthinking it. Just go.
