A student's first conference in Silicon Valley

Siddarth Shekhar is a second-year data science student at San Jose State University. Luca Berton talked to him at AGNTCon + MCPCon North America 2026 in San Jose on 22 October 2026. It was the first interview of the day, and Siddarth’s first conference.

A first con

“So this is my first ever con ever in Silicon Valley.” The place came from one of the university clubs he is in. From the overview he knew the conference was about agentic AI and MCP, and what to do with them, and that suited him: “As somebody in data science this is exactly where I want to be.” He hoped to see what is new and “learn a lot from this convention.”

He had no session circled in the programme. “I’m just going to see what’s there and just hope to learn.”

Right where he needs to be

He was born and raised in the Bay Area and grew up in Fremont. He chose San Jose State for college because it is near home, and because it is “smack dab in Silicon Valley. So I feel like I’m right where I need to be, you know?”

Data engineering, for now

Luca took him for a computer science student. It is data science, which is “literally aligned with AI”. What comes after is still open: he is “still a little iffy” about it. The idea is something in data analysis or data engineering. AI engineering and machine learning engineering would be interesting too, “but from what I’ve heard from people in the industry, data engineering is like a more sought-after skill in what people want.” That is where he is leaning.

More

The episode with Siddarth Shekhar is being produced and goes out on YouTube first. The day it was recorded: AGNTCon + MCPCon North America 2026: day one.