I recently stumbled across a quote in a Deloitte Tech Trends article that stopped me in my tracks: "The time it takes us to study a new technology now exceeds that technology's relevance window." Read that again. By the time you finish researching something, it's already old news.

This perfectly captures what we're living through in the Oracle APEX world right now. Browser-based development? Check. APEXLang on the horizon? Check. AI integration everywhere? Check. Modern CI/CD workflows? Check. And before most organizations finish evaluating one of these, more arrive.

So I did what any slightly nervous but mostly excited COO would do: I asked the United Codes team what they think is coming in 2026. Their responses ranged from profound to passionate (spoiler: someone really wants Arsenal to win a trophy), but a clear pattern emerged: yes, AI is everywhere (you guessed it 😉), but the real story is about how fast we can learn, adapt, and execute.

Here's what the team had to say.

English: The New Programming Language?

We all know AI is going to dominate 2026. But Dimitri Gielis, our founder and Oracle ACE Director, didn't just predict AI would be important; he went bold:

"In the age of AI, the main programming language will become English. We will just describe what we need, and AI will create the app for us. AI will be everywhere, but it will not just be AI; it will be usable and functional."

Let that sink in. English as a programming language. Not Python, not Java, not even PL/SQL (gasp!). Just clear, well-articulated descriptions of what you want to build.

This isn't about replacing developers, it's about fundamentally changing what development means. The developers who can clearly articulate business requirements will have a massive advantage. Suddenly, communication skills aren't just "nice to have"; they're as critical as technical chops.

Meanwhile, Björn Vergaelen (our co-CEO) responded with what I can only describe as an AI manifesto: "AI...AI...AI—AI Agents, quantum computing, AI-native development platforms, domain-specific language models, physical AI in machines and robots, preemptive cybersecurity, cloud sovereignty."

I had to laugh at the "AI...AI...AI" part, but he's not wrong. These aren't buzzwords anymore; they're real technologies making real impacts right now.

Roeland Van den Eynde offered the contrarian view we needed: "Media will very much try to say that the AI bubble has burst, whereas in fact the real AI incorporation in professional life will go faster and faster." In other words, while tech Twitter (or X or whatever you want to call it these days) debates whether AI is dead or alive, the rest of us will just be... using it. For actual work. Imagine that.

Philipp Hartenfeller put it in developer terms: "More code will be generated than manually written, and AI agents will be more deeply connected to our databases and business APIs." I'm seeing this already in our projects. It's not a prediction; it's Tuesday.

And Thomas Wouters brought it back to earth: "Self-driving cars in Europe, AI taking over marketing and digital marketing roles." As someone who does marketing at United Codes, I can confirm: AI is already my coworker. It doesn't bring donuts to meetings, but it does help with content creation.

Shashank BC sees specific applications emerging: "AI + Oracle APEX in healthcare." It's a reminder that while we talk about AI in broad terms, the real impact will be in domain-specific applications where AI meets specialized knowledge.

APEXLang: The Feature That Doesn't Even Exist Yet

I asked the team what Oracle APEX capabilities would become essential in 2026. The consensus was immediate and absolute: APEXLang.

Kevin Thyssen frames it perfectly: "2026 will be the year where the way in which we define APEX applications will drastically change." That's not hyperbole, it's what we're seeing unfold.

Dimitri didn't hold back: "It's not even underutilized, because it doesn't exist yet. APEXLang will become essential for any APEX Developer to learn. Doing file-based development in English will become a reality. Working in a completely new way will become a reality."

Translation: APEXLang isn't just moving development from the browser to code files. It's part of that bigger vision where we describe what we want in plain language. Revolutionary? Yes. Intimidating? Maybe a little. Exciting? Absolutely.

Björn's answer to both "what feature will be essential" AND "what's your advice to developers" was the same single word: "APEXLang." When your co-CEO can summarize his entire strategic vision in one word, you know something big is coming.

The move to code-based workflows means real version control, proper CI/CD, and actual team collaboration. No more "wait, who changed what in the builder?" No more merge conflicts that make you want to flip your desk. Just modern development practices that the rest of the software world figured out decades ago.

AI + APEX = Powerful Combo

Both Thomas and Kevin predict that APEX Automations will become essential. Thomas sees "deep integration of APEX with AI services through REST APIs and automation," while Kevin specifically calls out APEX Automations as a capability developers need to embrace. This is where things get interesting.

APEX is brilliant at rapid application development. Add easy AI integration through APEX Automations, and you've got something special. Philipp's been working on UC AI, a PL/SQL framework that lets you integrate AI models (OpenAI, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, and more) directly into your Oracle database. No Python required. No 23ai required. Just PL/SQL doing what PL/SQL does best: working with data where it lives.

APEX for the front end, UC AI for the database layer, it's a solid combination. And yes, it's open source, because of course it is.

The UX Problem We're All Ignoring

Philipp raised something that made me wince because it's so true: "We are mostly busy with implementing features where user experience gets neglected. Maybe AI productivity gains leave more room for a general User Experience (UX) overhaul of our APEX apps."

Ouch. But he's right. We're all so busy building features that UX becomes "we'll get to it later." (Channeling my inner Scott Spendolini when referring to security: They never get to it later.)

But here's the hopeful part: if AI handles more routine coding, maybe we actually can focus on making our applications not just functional, but genuinely pleasant to use. With APEXLang making restructuring easier, comprehensive UX improvements might finally move from "wishful thinking" to "doable."

What Should Developers Actually Do?

I asked for advice. The team delivered.

Understand Your Business (Like, Really Understand It)

Dimitri's advice cuts to the heart of why technical skills alone won't be enough:

"Understanding your business will be even more important than ever, and the ability to clearly describe what something should do will become essential. Having a deep understanding of PL/SQL, APEX, and the Oracle database will give you an edge. AI will be able to help you to write the code, but if you don't understand what it generated and can evaluate if it's good, you will just produce bad code faster."

That last sentence deserves to be printed on t-shirts: "AI will help you produce bad code faster." It's funny because it's terrifying because it's true.

Business understanding isn't being replaced by AI; it's becoming your competitive advantage.

Master the Fundamentals

My advice is less exciting but no less important: master SQL, PL/SQL, REST APIs, and core APEX concepts. These are your anchors. They change slowly, which means they give you stability while everything else spins.

Then learn new things by solving actual problems. Client needs AI integration? Perfect, learn by doing. APEXLang launches? Migrate a real project. Learning by doing beats learning by reading documentation every time. Unless you are a wonderful user of one of our products, then pretty please read our documentation 😉

AI Is a Tool, Not Magic (And You Need to Own Its Output)

Thomas nails it: "Learn how to work efficiently with generative AI, not just use it."

Kevin adds an important dimension: "Use AI effectively, and remain skeptical enough to review, validate, and own its output." That word "own" is critical; you can't blame AI when something goes wrong. The code is yours, regardless of who (or what) wrote it.

There's a massive difference between typing a prompt and hoping versus understanding how to iteratively refine AI outputs. One approach produces random results. The other produces actual value.

Philipp puts it plainly: "AI is not a solution but a tool. It won't create something meaningful without your guidance and input." AI amplifies expertise; it doesn't replace it.

Be Curious, But Not Gullible

Kiran Kandel keeps it simple: "Get familiar with trending technologies." Sunil agrees: "Keep an eye out for new technologies and try them out. Utilize them."

Roeland adds the necessary caution: "Keep an open mind on new stuff, especially AI, but maintain a critical view on it. Make sure you understand the consequences; they can be good and bad."

A balance of curiosity plus critical thinking is what separates developers who thrive from those who get swept along by every hype cycle.

What We're Hoping For (Spoiler: It Gets Wholesome)

I asked about hopes for 2026. The responses ranged from strategic to deeply personal.

The Professional Stuff

Björn wants APEX to become "the world's leading low-code development framework" while we expand into Oracle Cloud integration and Oracle AI Data Platform. These are our strategic objectives, and yes, we're actively working on them.

Kevin is aiming high: "Lots of cool projects and product features @ United Codes, becoming an Oracle ACE Pro, many great conferences, and hopefully a lot of miles on the bike too!" That's the spirit, Kevin! Ambitious professionally while keeping that work-life balance.

As for me, I hope our clients are as excited about United Codes joining the Anchr group as we are. Growing from a small team to something bigger means we can finally support clients in ways we couldn't before. I'm genuinely excited to see what we'll accomplish together by this time next year.

Roeland perfectly captured his leadership style: "I wish to keep doing what drives me: creating the foundation that allows our talented team to shine. Supporting people is not just my role, it's my passion." If you've ever worked with Roeland, you know this isn't corporate speak; it's exactly who he is.

The Personal Stuff (Which Got Unexpectedly Touching)

Dimitri went big: "World peace :) I hope people find happiness in what they do. I personally wish my family and friends a life worth living, that their dreams come through, and that love is all around."

Okay, I wasn't expecting to get emotional about a tech predictions blog post, but here we are. Behind all the AI predictions and database frameworks, we're just trying to build tools that help people live better lives.

Shashank offers an important counterbalance to all the AI enthusiasm: "With all the hype around AI, I hope it creates more jobs instead of replacing them & helps people think better, not become lazy 😊." That emoji at the end can't hide a genuine concern, and he's right to voice it. The goal isn't AI that makes us passive consumers of generated output, but AI that amplifies our thinking and creates new opportunities.

Thomas has his sights set on a major life milestone: "Personally, by starting married life with trust, joy, and balance." Congratulations, Thomas! May 2026 bring you all three in abundance.

Personally, I'm looking forward to traveling and connecting with the global Oracle APEX community. Being an Oracle ACE means I've built friendships across continents, whether at conferences, client visits, or APEX community events. These connections are one of the best parts of this work.

Sunil has specific goals: "Learn guitar, be fit, and read 12 books." This is a good reminder that life exists outside of work. (Note to self: actually schedule those Pilates classes.)

Philipp's wish transcends work entirely: "That people care more about other people's well-being. There is too much hate, division, and selfishness in the world." In 2026, that matters more than any technology prediction.

And then there's Kiran, who has one very specific, very passionate hope: "Arsenal wins a trophy. The wait has been too long."

As a sports fan, I respect the dedication. Kiran, I'm rooting for you. (And Arsenal.)

So, What Now?

Here's what we learned from this exercise:

AI isn't just coming, it's here, and Dimitri might be right about English becoming a programming language. APEX is evolving with APEXLang representing a genuine paradigm shift. And that relevance window I mentioned at the start? Still shrinking.

The developers and organizations that will thrive aren't necessarily the ones with the most resources. They're the ones who can:

• Build on fundamentals (SQL, PL/SQL, APEX, Oracle database)
• Understand their business deeply and articulate requirements clearly
• Learn by doing, not just reading
• Execute fast enough to catch that narrowing relevance window
• Think critically about AI-generated code instead of blindly accepting it
• Stay curious while maintaining healthy skepticism

At United Codes, we're working on all of this. Investing in training, expanding services, building tools like UC AI, and staying current with Oracle APEX and Oracle Cloud. We're growing, learning, and figuring it out as we go, just like everyone else.

Dimitri envisions a future where we describe what we need in English and AI builds it. We're not there yet, but we're building the bridges one PL/SQL function, one APEX application, one solved problem at a time.

Here's to 2026. Let's stay quick on our feet, ready to adapt, and maybe, just maybe, Arsenal will finally win that trophy.

-- Jackie McIlroy --

P.S. A big THANK YOU to Dimitri, Björn, Roeland, Philipp, Sunil, Kevin, Shashank, Kiran, and Thomas for helping me with this article!

P.P.S. Want to check out UC AI? Here's the link. It's open source, works with Oracle 12.2+, and yes, it's actually useful.