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Key Takeaways
DE{CODE} 2026 will provide actionable strategies for building sites optimized for both human users and AI systems. The conference focuses on transforming static digital properties into intelligent, context-rich experiences that AI will seek and cite.
Leaders will gain a playbook for operationalizing AI strategies. Keynote speakers Brian Solis and Liza Adams will guide attendees beyond basic tool usage with practical advice for expanding both internal AI implementation and external AI visibility.
Specialized tracks for developers, agencies, and marketers will address specific challenges of the intelligent web. Topics include building agent-ready site architecture, protecting agency value, and operationalizing Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategies.
Watch DE{CODE} live on May 6 or get the sessions on demand starting May 7. Your registration gets you immediate access to all talk tracks and sessions immediately following the event.
DE{CODE} is coming up fast; are you registered? Attendees will hear from WP Engine insiders as well as industry experts across a wide range of specialties, product and technology leaders, agency executives, researchers, and eCommerce and media specialists. They’re not here to provide more possibilities. They’ll provide the actual, actionable advice needed to build sites optimized for both humans and the AI systems they use.
Read on for more information about the key speakers and topics you can expect at DE{CODE} 2026.
The guiding light: Defining strategies for the intelligent web
This year’s conference focuses on transforming static digital delivery systems to intelligent, context-rich experiences that AI systems will seek and cite. The keynote stage will feature a mix of internal leadership and external experts.
Ramadass Prabhakar, Chief Technology Officer, WP Engine: The web is in a state of disruption across industries, and WP Engine is actively adapting alongside these fast-paced changes. Prabhakar will share a quick look at some of our recent innovations and provide a sneak peek at the cutting-edge tools we’re building right now to serve modern sites in this new era of intelligence.
Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation, ServiceNow: While adoption of AI tools is increasing, many leaders are missing out on strategies they can use to operationalize intelligence across an entire organization. Globally recognized futurist and digital anthropologist Brian Solis will provide the playbook leaders need to bridge the gap between simply using tools and building scalable AI strategies.
Liza Adams, AI Advisor & GTM Strategist, GrowthPath Partners: AI forms its own opinion about a brand, and individual systems will each describe that brand differently to their human audiences. With insights gained from her unique combination of engineering and go-to-market expertise, Adams will share the three things every brand should be doing now to earn in AI search, and the four practical levers that move all three.
Breakout sessions: From theory to implementation
The agenda features 12 expert-led breakout sessions across three specialized tracks. Experts will provide the tools, strategies, and insight attendees need to thrive on the intelligent web.
| Track | Speaker Highlights | Key Agenda Topics |
| Developer | Iain Poulson, WP Engine Principal Product Manager for Advanced Custom Fields Weston Ruter, WP Engine Principal Software Engineer & WordPress Core Committer Francis Agulto, WP Engine Developer Advocate John Parris, WP Engine Principal Software Engineer & WordPress Core Committer | Agent-ready architecture, structured data, semantic HTML, and building with ACF and headless WordPress, WordPress® 7.0 release |
| Agency | Nicholas Petroski, Founder, Promethean Research Bryan Becker, Director of Product, Cloudflare Phil Crumm, Managing Partner, Content Solutions, Fueled Jason Siegel, Founder & Managing Partner, Bluetext | Protecting agency value in the intelligent web era, new service models for AI, and exclusive agency transformation research |
| Marketer | James Baldacchino, Head of Strategy, Ellipsis Tom Di Domenico, EVP Digital Strategy & Technology, Amsive Charlotte Cijffers, Chief Digital Officer, ITP Media Group Jeff Misenti, Co-Founder, The Publisher Desk | Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), AI citation strategies, agentic commerce, newsroom platform, and navigating the evolving marketing tech stack |
Developers: Building experiences for the intelligent web
The Developers track will focus on how AI is embedding itself in the modern development lifecycle.
From improved AI integration in the upcoming WordPress 7.0 release to tools developers are using to create agent-consumable sites, attendees will get the practical advice they need to build websites that prioritize the structure AI craves and gain visibility on the intelligent web.
Agency: Protecting business value and growth
For agencies, AI creates new opportunities to evolve their service models. At the same time, concerned leaders are wondering how agencies can continue to prove their value and foster deeper client relationships.
The Agency track will explore how agencies stay relevant and update their offerings to thrive in an increasingly automated world. Plus, Nicholas Petroski from Promethean Research will share insights from exclusive research on the ways agencies are already restructuring their business models to navigate these uncharted waters.
Marketers: Gaining visibility amid decreasing traffic
As marketers grapple with declining traffic across the board, the metrics that once served as the source of truth for messaging efficacy are no longer sufficient for measuring brand awareness and visibility.
The Marketer track will dive into the metrics that matter, how to structure content for AI visibility, and the technical factors that can earn or lose AI citations for a brand. Experts will also explore how eCommerce and media companies are responding to a world in which a user’s path to purchase and understanding of content origin is muddied by AI.
Join the conversation, prepare for the intelligent web
Join us on May 6, 2026, to hear from the thinkers and doers who are already laying the groundwork for success on the intelligent web! DE{CODE} is free to attend, and sessions will be available on demand starting on May 7 for everyone who registers.
