In this episode of OpenEd Mic, the hosts reflect on their experiences at the 2025 Open Education Conference, discussing the importance of in-person connections, the impact of AI on education, and the ongoing challenges of accessibility in open educational resources. They explore overarching themes from the conference, including the need for community and belonging, and the integration of workforce development with open education. Looking ahead to Open Ed 2026, they express hopes for a stronger focus on AI tools and a more open-first approach in educational institutions.