CYBER SECURITY INSIGHTS FROM the 2025 Kansas City Developer Conference

At CEI, protecting our clients’ data and ensuring the resilience of our platforms is at the heart of everything we do. Staying ahead of new technologies, evolving security challenges, and development best practices is essential to delivering on that promise. That’s why our IT and Security team once again attended this year’s Kansas City Developer Conference (KCDC)—an event that brings together top minds in software engineering, security, and innovation.

By engaging with industry peers and learning from thought leaders, our team returned with valuable insights that will shape how CEI continues to safeguard databases, strengthen our software, and protect client data.

Key Conference Insights

Artificial Intelligence in Development

It’s no surprise that AI dominated discussions at KCDC this year. From practical applications of machine learning and large language models to the importance of writing better prompts, the focus was on using AI responsibly and effectively.

Our team highlighted a few takeaways:

• Choosing the right tool—whether machine learning, copilots, or Large Language Models or (LLMs)—is critical for solving the right problem.

• Using generic models for highly specific tasks can create poor outcomes and reduce ROI.

• Data management is central to AI adoption, and organizations must carefully balance benefits with risks.

• Beyond security and compliance, AI is being embraced as a productivity enhancer, helping developers speed up releases and streamline communication with stakeholders.

At CEI, we are exploring how AI can be integrated into our development processes to deliver smarter, faster, and more secure solutions for our clients.

Security First: Moving Toward Zero Trust

While AI captured attention, security remains our top priority. One of the most impactful conversations for our team centered on implementing a zero-trust model across CEI’s infrastructure.

By adopting a “never trust, always verify” approach, CEI ensures that every access point—internal or external—is continuously validated. This shift is designed to strengthen defenses against emerging threats and align with best practices shared by industry peers at the conference.

Improving Development Processes

KCDC also shed light on practical tools and methods to improve the way development teams collaborate and deliver. A few highlights included:

• Diagramming with code using tools like Mermaid, which allow us to generate flow diagrams directly from markdown files. This innovation can make system architecture easier to understand, support onboarding of new developers, and simplify future updates.

• Messaging bus evaluations, which helped our team better understand different architecture options and how to choose the right approach for scalability and resilience.

• Process efficiency, reinforcing that better communication and clearer documentation reduce back-and-forth, speed up timelines, and put features in the hands of users more quickly.

These improvements—while technical in nature—translate directly into client value by making CEI’s solutions more reliable, adaptable, and future-ready.

Why KCDC Matters to CEI

Attending KCDC provides more than just education—it offers perspective. By learning how other organizations are tackling AI adoption, improving processes, and addressing security challenges, CEI can benchmark our practices against industry leaders and identify opportunities to innovate further.

Our team returns from KCDC energized and equipped to apply these lessons—ensuring CEI continues to deliver secure, efficient, and cutting-edge solutions for our clients.

Looking Ahead

CEI is committed to staying at the forefront of technology, not for the sake of trends, but for the protection and success of our clients. Conferences like KCDC provide the insights, tools, and connections that allow us to remain forward-thinking while reinforcing our mission: to safeguard client data and deliver solutions that are both innovative and secure.

As we continue to evolve our platforms and processes, CEI will keep learning, adapting, and leading—ensuring that our clients are always one step ahead. To stay connected with our latest events, conference attendance, and professional insight, connect with us on LinkedIn.