08 Steve Will Unplugged: IBM i, Code Assist & What’s Coming Next

04/20/25 • 48 min

08 Steve Will, Chief Architect of IBM i, is back on The Incredible i Show — and he’s bringing the fire. 🔥

In this episode, we unpack the newly released IBM i 7.6, where security takes center stage with integrated multi-factor authentication (MFA), full system encryption, and a push to adopt modern tools. Steve explains why this release is different — and what it means for Power10 (and beyond 👀).

We also dig into Code Assist, IBM’s AI-powered project for RPG development. Steve shares where things stand, what surprised him most, and what you can expect at POWERUp 2025.

💡 Topics we cover:

What’s new in IBM i 7.6 (and why it matters)
Why MFA is only available on 7.6+
Code Assist progress, model training, and what’s next
Lessons learned from collaborating across IBM

Steve Will, IBM i CTO, Distinguished Engineer
LinkedIn

IBM Ideas - the RFE process has a brand new look and feel!
IBM i Success Stories

One incredible Th(i)ng! Products, gadgets, recipes, music or things we are loving right now.

Steve Will: 🎶 Getting back into choir after nearly a decade — Steve’s rediscovered his love for singing, performing a special Easter piece alongside his wife and daughter.

Peg Tuttle: 🌼 Spring flowers in full bloom — Peg’s soaking up the season with spontaneous garden center trips and a trunk full of colorful finds.

Upcoming EVENTS:

LISUG - Horizons 2025: Actionable AI - May 14, 2025

POWERUp 2025, Anaheim, CA - May 19-22, 2025

COMMON Europe Congress, Gothenburg, Sweden - June 2-5, 2025

i-UG i-Power Conference 2025, June 10-11, 2025 - Mercure Northampton HotelSHOW SPONSORS:
LightedgeCOMMONCheck out our website and LinkedIn page, and like and subscribe to all those things!
Interested in sharing your IBM i story? Want to sponsor the podcast? We want to hear from you! Reach out to Peg.
Email: [email protected]

08 Steve Will, Chief Architect of IBM i, is back on The Incredible i Show — and he’s bringing the fire. 🔥

We also dig into Code Assist, IBM’s AI-powered project for RPG development. Steve shares where things stand, what surprised him most, and what you can expect at POWERUp 2025.

💡 Topics we cover:

What’s new in IBM i 7.6 (and why it matters)
Why MFA is only available on 7.6+
Code Assist progress, model training, and what’s next
Lessons learned from collaborating across IBM

Steve Will, IBM i CTO, Distinguished Engineer
LinkedIn

IBM Ideas - the RFE process has a brand new look and feel!
IBM i Success Stories

One incredible Th(i)ng! Products, gadgets, recipes, music or things we are loving right now.

Steve Will: 🎶 Getting back into choir after nearly a decade — Steve’s rediscovered his love for singing, performing a special Easter piece alongside his wife and daughter.

Peg Tuttle: 🌼 Spring flowers in full bloom — Peg’s soaking up the season with spontaneous garden center trips and a trunk full of colorful finds.

Upcoming EVENTS:

LISUG - Horizons 2025: Actionable AI - May 14, 2025

POWERUp 2025, Anaheim, CA - May 19-22, 2025

COMMON Europe Congress, Gothenburg, Sweden - June 2-5, 2025

Previous Episode

07 Announcement Day with Scott Forstie: Like Christmas, But With More Acronyms

07 It’s IBM i announcement day, and joining us is the legendary Scott Forstie, IBM i database architect and innovation leader. In this episode, we unpack the highlights of the latest IBM i Technology Refresh, explore the brand-new Migrate While Active (MWA) functionality, and take a fresh look at security from the inside out.

Scott shares what’s new in the IBM i ecosystem, how these updates impact the community, and why staying current is more critical than ever. Whether you're a developer, admin, or just a fan of the platform—this episode delivers insight with heart, humor, and real-world experience.

What You’ll Learn:

Highlights from the latest IBM i Announcements
What Migrate While Active is—and how it’s changing the game
Lessons from the first MWA production adopter
IBM i security: Common gaps and how to protect your environment
Why “secure by default” is a myth (and what to do instead)
How Scott’s team approaches software development and client feedback
Upcoming events and community opportunities

Scott Forstie, Senior Technical Staff Member and Db2 for i Business Architect at IBM
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @Forstie_IBMi
Get the Gist here
http://ibm.biz/Db2foriSQLTutor
https://www.ibm.com/us-en?ar=1
IBM Ideas - the RFE process has a brand new look and feel!
IBM i Success Stories

One incredible Th(i)ng! Products, gadgets, recipes, music or things we are loving right now.

Scott's pick for this week:
Comedy Clubs & Events - Nate Bargatze (one of Peg's favs!)

Peg's pick for this week:
Spring Weather (which I have said a couple times!)

Upcoming EVENTS:
NEUGC, April 7-9, 2025

LISUG - Horizons 2025: Actionable AI - May 14, 2025

POWERUp 2025, Anaheim, CA - May 19-22, 2025SHOW SPONSORS:
LightedgeCOMMONCheck out our website and LinkedIn page, and like and subscribe to all those things!
Interested in sharing your IBM i story? Want to sponsor the podcast? We want to hear from you! Reach out to Peg.
Email: [email protected]