UKOUG Conference 2024: A Reflection on APEX, AI, and Beyond

The annual Oracle User Group (UKOUG) conference once again proved to be a platform for showcasing the latest advancements in technology, particularly in the realm of low-code development. This year, APEX and AI took centre stage, demonstrating their potential to revolutionise industries and streamline processes.

APEX and AI: A Powerful Duo

One of the most captivating aspects of the conference was the integration of APEX with AI services. Our colleague, Alastair Steele, delivered an impressive presentation on leveraging APEX and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure's Document Understanding service to automate invoice processing. This real-world application highlighted the practical benefits of combining these powerful technologies.

Key Takeaways from the Conference

• APEX 24.1: This latest version of APEX introduced exciting new AI features, further enhancing its capabilities as a low-code development platform.
• Visualising Unstructured Video Data: Phil Brown's presentation on using Oracle Analytics and AI to analyse video content was both insightful and inspiring.
• AI-Powered Invoice Processing: Alastair Steele's demo showcased the potential of AI Document Understanding to automate tedious tasks.
• APEX and Spatial Data: Alex Nuijten's creative use of APEX and spatial data to map the best apple pie restaurants was both informative and entertaining.
• Template Components: Magaly Iraheta's presentation provided valuable insights into using template components to improve APEX development efficiency.

A Broader Perspective

Beyond APEX and AI, the conference offered a diverse range of presentations on various Oracle technologies. We found sessions on SQL Macros, Oracle Spatial/Mapping, and ML Case Studies particularly enlightening. These topics expanded our understanding of Oracle's capabilities and sparked new ideas for future projects.

Sharing Knowledge and Inspiring Innovation

Delivering our own presentations at the conference was a rewarding experience. The Q&A sessions that followed highlighted the interest in the topic and provided an opportunity for valuable discussions.

Overall, the UKOUG 2024 conference was a great success. It provided a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and inspiration. As we continue to embrace the power of APEX and AI, we are excited to see what the future holds for this dynamic technology landscape.