From writing software to ensuring it's written well: the evolving RSE role

In March 2026, Schmidt Sciences supported the Research Software Alliance to convene 37 leaders in Edinburgh to develop a community vision for how research software will be produced in the age of Generative AI. As GenAI lowers barriers to code generation, the RSE role is shifting: from writing software toward ensuring it is written well — through code review, mentorship, infrastructure design, and shaping the agentic tools others use. This talk summarises the workshop's prioritised roadmap across nine working groups and offers a funder's perspective on where investment matters most.