Kiln

Join AI Portland for an evening that cuts through the AI buzzwords and gives you real, practical understanding. Whether you're new to AI or looking to refresh your knowledge, this talk provides the perfect runway for the Zero to One Build Challenge.

What you'll learn:

• Understand the fundamentals of AI, ML, and NLP without the technical jargon
• Discover what today's AI is actually good at (and where it falls short)
• Learn how to use AI responsibly and productively in your daily life
• Get practical tips for protecting your data while leveraging AI tools
• Position yourself for success in the weekend's Build Challenge

This talk is designed for everyone—from curious beginners to those with some technical background looking to fill in their knowledge gaps. No coding experience required! Come with questions, leave with confidence.

Small bites generously provided by Spork Bytes

Thank you to our sponsor for this event, Basejump AI!

Perfect preparation for the AI Portland Zero to One Build Challenge, but valuable as a standalone session for anyone wanting to understand AI basics.

Join Us for Our Inaugural Meeting!

AI is transforming how we build software, and Portland engineers are at the forefront of this revolution. Whether you're integrating LLMs into production systems or just starting to explore AI capabilities in your personal projects, PIng is your community.

Our inaugural meeting brings together developers passionate about practical AI applications that solve real-world problems. Come ready to learn, share, and connect with fellow engineers.

RSVP

Featured Presentations:

Data Security in the AI Era

Kellyn Pot'Vin-Gorman, Database and AI Advocate at Redgate

In today's era where data is the new nuclear power fueling AI, its protection has become a battleground. From high-profile breaches that shake industries to the ethical dilemmas posed by AI, ensuring data security is more critical—and complex—than ever. Kellyn explores real-world data breach stories that highlight vulnerabilities in the data lifecycle and the profound consequences of lapses in protection.

Kellyn Pot’Vin-Gorman is a Database and AI Advocate and Engineer with Redgate, with a long history in multi-platform technology. An Oracle ACE Director alumnus, she has been awarded over the years for her technical contributions and community volunteerism through many organizations, including a recognition as Woman in Tech of the Year for the state of Colorado.

GenAI Model Output Evaluation

Patrick McCuistion, Sr. Platform Engineer at Databricks

From traditional ML metrics to dynamic feedback loops, evaluation approaches have evolved to meet the unique demands of generative AI systems. Drawing from experience building and deploying a production-grade GenAI application that generates cloud infrastructure as code, Patrick will delve into how automatic feedback loops and iterative evaluation cycles can dramatically enhance the accuracy, functionality, and readability of GenAI outputs.

Patrick McCuistion is a Sr. Platform Engineer at Databricks. At work, he builds automations between learning platforms, integrates AI into applications, and manages ML resources in Databricks lab environments. At home, he spends time with his wife and 1.5-year-old girl, writes and performs music for his band, The Governors, and renovates his home in Vancouver, WA.

Schedule:

• 6:00 - 6:30: Food and networking
• 6:30 - 7:40: Presentations
• 7:40 - 8:00: Wrap up and networking

Details:

• Date: Wednesday, April 30th
• Location: Kiln

About PIng:

Portland AI Engineers brings together software developers at all experience levels who are passionate about building with generative AI technologies. We focus on practical applications that solve real-world problems by leveraging existing language models and the surrounding GenAI tools ecosystem.

Learn more

Get Involved:

• Present your work: Email us at info@portlandai.engineer to discuss sharing your project or insights
• Provide feedback: Help shape our community by sharing your ideas and suggestions
• Sponsor an event: Contact us to discuss partnership opportunities

For more information and to join our community, visit portlandai.engineer

What to Expect:

Please RSVP ahead of time as we only have a limited amount of space.

Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. Drink some coffee, bring your laptop, and have engaging conversations. This is a great opportunity to learn from others, share your knowledge, and possibly collaborate on side projects, online courses, or even your day-to-day work tasks.

Still uncertain? Let's chat on Discord!

Street Parking is available!

Agenda:

9 AM - Arrival: Find a spot! Note: Doors do not open until 8:50AM 9:15 AM - Introductions: Share your name Discuss your current projects or interests. If you don’t have a specific project, share what intrigues you! Mention your expertise and how you can assist others. Are you job hunting or hiring? Let us know! Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. 11:30 AM - Wrapping Up: You can stay longer, but we'll officially be done! Kiln is graciously letting folks co-work from the space until 4PM that day if you're interested! After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized. Find a social circle or grab a desk and code.

Links:

Join the Discord: https://codeandcoffee.chat/ If this link is down, visit the main site https://codeandcoffee.org/ click on the Discord button!

Want to help us build an incredible Climate Week in our own backyard? Now in its 3rd year, PNW Climate Week is ramping up for our biggest year to date, and that means we need as much PDX we can possibly get!

From Vancouver BC to Bend and everywhere in between, our innovative and eco-enthusiastic region will be hosting literally hundreds of events between July 16th - 25th.

Join us at Kiln for a download on all the details and to find out how you can help. Want to help with community outreach to make sure every aspect of our vibrant city is party of the party? Want to entice businesses to join us in this celebration of everything green in our evergreen slice of the continent? Have a startup or research project you want people to hear about? Don't have a clue but just know you want to get involved? You're just who we're looking for!

We'll share some info about this year's event, split into groups to start coming up with ideas, connect you to resources to keep you going, and then have a little mingling at the end in case folks haven't gotten all that climate geeking out of their system yet. Drinks on us!

You’re invited to a casual, friendly gathering where you can connect with the regulators shaping Oregon’s privacy landscape. This is your opportunity to get to know the team at the Oregon Department of Justice, hear about their priorities, and gain insight into how they engage with the privacy and business community.

We’ll kick things off with a fireside chat between Assistant Attorney General Kristen Hilton, the Department’s privacy unit lead, and Lauren Reid of The Privacy Pro. Kristen will share insights and lessons learned from the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act’s first 6 months in effect, and let us know what’s on the horizon for 2025 and beyond. Following that, we’ll have plenty of time for drinks, snacks, and networking.

Whether you’re a seasoned privacy professional, new to this space, or trying to figure out how the OCPA applies to your business, this is a great chance to build relationships and have meaningful conversations—no deep policy dives, just good company and insightful discussions.

Why Attend? Meet and connect with Oregon’s privacy regulators in an informal setting Hear about their priorities and approach to engagement Network with fellow privacy professionals over drinks and snacks Enjoy a relaxed evening with meaningful conversation

Event is free, registration via Eventbrite is required

Join us for a festive evening hosted by AI Portland, Rose City Techies, and the Technology Association of Oregon, as we come together to celebrate our thriving tech and AI community! Connect with fellow professionals from across Portland’s tech and creative landscape, enjoy light snacks and drinks, and expand your network in a relaxed, holiday-inspired atmosphere.

We will be verifying registration and checking IDs at the door. The dress code is casual, but feel free to add a bit of holiday sparkle if you’d like! We look forward to an evening of good conversation and great company—don’t miss out on this celebration of community and connection!

🚨 YOU MUST REGISTER ON THE TAO WEBSITE HERE 🚨 https://web.cvent.com/event/e903131a-aafb-44f3-a459-e6689238b3bc/summary Your RSVP will not count as a registration.

The Portland Microsoft User Groups are thrilled to sponsor this event! Hope to see you there.

Join us for a delightful evening with AI & Data practitioners, professionals, and enthusiasts. We'll be teaming up with our friends at TAO on the Kiln patio to celebrate our shared community.

We hope you can join us for scrumptious food, refreshing drinks, meaningful connections, and cool beats from DJ Kermit! Come and be a part of this wonderful gathering of like-minded individuals who share a passion for AI and Data. Don't miss out on this opportunity to expand your network and have some fun!

✨ Register for this event via TAO ✨ https://web.cvent.com/event/ef73602a-588d-4a32-a0d9-b2b70ddd9d24/summary

Over the past year, ChatGPT and the technology that powers it, Generative AI, have been making waves in our workplaces. Generative AI is already having an impact inside companies and in our jobs. In this talk, we'll make sense of generative AI in a jargon-free environment. Learn how generative AI works, what it does well, and what it doesn't do well. We'll show how it's being used in the workplace and how to experiment with it. Embrace your curiosity and get answers to your questions about AI in a lively discussion, no programming or tech background needed.

​Can't swing the ticket price? We get it - scholarships are available for those in need. Reach out to AI Portland for help.

​ About our presenter Nicolle Merrill is the founder of Boring AI, an AI literacy education company that helps teams upskill for AI in the workplace. Boring AI exists to bring voices from diverse work experiences into the discussion about AI and teach AI literacy skills to adults, no coding or math required. Nicolle has spent the last 6 years working at the intersection of AI and human-centered design. She's also the author of the book, Punch Doubt in the Face: How to Upskill, Change Careers, and Beat the Robots.

​About AI Portland AI Portland is dedicated to exploring the world of Artificial Intelligence and how it can superpower design, development, and our chocolate cookie recipes. We invite industry professionals, enthusiasts, and students to join us in lively discussions, workshops, and networking events.

​Whether you're just starting your AI journey or an expert in the field, this group offers a platform to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and stay updated with the latest AI trends. Let's connect, learn, and shape the future of AI together! Find us on Meetup and LinkedIn.

Join us for an interactive group session, to share, learn, and connect with other bootstrap founders around Portland!

At this event, we'll let 2 founders share in-depth something they're working on. So, if you're looking for some group feedback...or just want to showcase your project...come prepared to share! It'll be a great time for questions, discussion, and feedback.

Space is limited...so RSVP's are required!

Save time for an optional group lunch after the meetup!

Date: Friday, Jan 26 Time: 10a - 12p Location: Kiln Coworking Space 1120 SE Madison St Portland, OR 97214

Join us for an interactive group session, to share, learn, and connect with other bootstrap founders around Portland!

At this event, we'll let 2 founders share in-depth something they're working on. So, if you're looking for some group feedback...or just want to showcase your project...come prepared to share! It'll be a great time for questions, discussion, and feedback.

Space is limited...so RSVP's are required!

Save time for an optional group lunch after the meetup!