GitLab Epic Conference highlights: AI-powered development
Share on socials
GitLab Epic Conference: The future of AI-powered software development
The Adaptavist Group
Published on November 21, 2025
4 min read
The Adaptavist Group
Published on November 21, 2025
4 min read
Jump to section
Jump to section
The next chapter of GitLab Duo
Key product roadmap updates
New Duo credits model
Duo Agentic Platform expansion
New leadership for growth
Strategic focus for FY26/7
The road ahead
Adaptavist's team shares highlights from GitLab's Epic Conference in London and Paris on AI agents, GitLab Duo, and the future of software development.
Our team from Adaptavist attended GitLab's Epic Conference events in London and Paris, where GitLab brought together partners, users, and executives to present its development plans for AI integration in software development. The events focused on updates to GitLab Duo and the company's approach to incorporating AI agents into development workflows. Here are the key announcements from these sessions.
The next chapter of GitLab Duo
At the heart of the conference was GitLab's announcement of updates to its AI-powered platform. The company showcased how AI agents are reshaping software development across the entire DevSecOps lifecycle—from initial planning through to production deployment. GitLab leaders and customers shared real-world experiences of using AI features to streamline processes, improve security capabilities, and reduce delivery times.
The company provided a glimpse into the Duo Agent Catalogue and previewed innovations that will look to redefine software development practices in the coming years. A new version of GitLab Duo is set to launch, with the date to be announced.
Key product roadmap updates
GitLab shared several product developments on the horizon:
- CI/CD innovation: A new visual builder for CI/CD with built-in AI support is slated for H1 2026, making pipeline creation more intuitive and intelligent.
- Expanded virtual registries: Support for NPM, Docker, and Maven virtual registries is imminent, extending GitLab's artefact management capabilities.
- Enterprise reliability: For self-managed Ultimate customers, zero-downtime upgrades are in development, though no specific timeline was provided.
- Security enhancement: An integrated Secrets Manager will ship in Q1 2026, strengthening native security capabilities.
New Duo credits model
GitLab announced plans to introduce a credits-based system for Duo, potentially launching within a month. This new model bundles licences and subscriptions with usage credits that accumulate at the organisational level. The system allows organisations to maximise their AI investment: credits from users who don't heavily utilise Duo can be applied to power users who need more capacity.
Importantly, every Premium and Ultimate user will receive credits regardless of whether they've purchased Duo, enabling teams to experiment with AI capabilities without additional commitment.
Duo Agentic Platform expansion
The Duo Agentic Platform continues to evolve with practical migration tools. A beta workflow for Jenkins pipeline migrations to GitLab is now available, and the team is developing similar approaches for artefact migration processes—addressing a critical pain point for organisations considering platform consolidation.
New leadership for growth
GitLab introduced its refreshed executive suite, positioning the company for its next phase of growth:
- CEO: Bill Staples
- CRO: Ian Stewart
- Chief Product & Marketing Officer (CPMO): Manav Khurana
- VP EMEA Sales: Duncan Greenwoo
Strategic focus for FY26/7
Looking ahead, GitLab outlined its priorities for fiscal year 2027. The company is actively seeking MSP partners to address market challenges related to platform adoption and retention, while working to reduce customer churn. This partner-focused approach recognises that successful platform transformation requires robust ecosystem support.
The road ahead
GitLab's Epic Conference painted a picture of a future where AI agents work seamlessly alongside development teams, handling everything from code generation to infrastructure management. With a new product roadmap, new leadership, and an evolving partner strategy, GitLab is positioning itself to be at the forefront of AI-powered software development.
As a DevOps expert, Adaptavist can help organisations evaluate and implement new AI capabilities. Our customers can benefit from guidance on adoption strategies, support with platform migrations, and ensuring they maximise the value from their GitLab investment.
Written by
DevOps
GitLab