Hey all, for this week’s AI chat we had a suggestion that we spend time helping one another troubleshoot some of the challenges each of us are working through in their AI effort. We’ll look to review and help on several, so please come ready with your own or ready to help (or just ready to learn!)

AI Weekly Chat | Problem Solving Friday, May 10 · 11:00am – 12:00pm Time zone: America/Los_Angeles Google Meet joining info Video call link: https://meet.google.com/sfi-wepy-uyy Or dial: ‪(US) +1 402-971-0107‬ PIN: ‪937 805 917‬# More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/sfi-wepy-uyy?pin=6245634540352

The position of “AI Developer” is a relatively new one. And did you know that they spend less than half their time actually working with AI and writing code? So, what do they spend the rest of their time doing?

Join The Tech Academy at 5:00 p.m. PST (7 CST / 8 EST) for our live online event entitled “A Day in the Life of an AI Developer“ on May 10 (Friday evening), and gain answers to these questions and more.

Erik Gross has been working in tech for decades and at this free workshop, he will “lift the curtain” on the technology sector and AI, and tell you what it’s really like.

Register for this special event now!

Meetup link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkshop0510 Eventbrite link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkshop510

Hope to see you there!

You asked and we listened. Fairlane was suggested by one of our attendees so we're making it the spot for May's founder.coffee. This cool SE spot boasts a lot of room for networking and some incredible drinks. We can't wait to learn more about what you are working on and how we can be helpful.

As always, be there thinking about ways you can help your fellow founders. No selling, no solicitations, just good conversations!

See you there! Josh & Mark

About founder.coffee: As a business owner, you are faced with many challenges. You're forced to make decisions every day that could make or break your business. founder.coffee is a way to network with other entrepreneurs to allow free-flowing information with the intent to collaborate and help each other. So often we're challenged and there's very little we can do to express our challenges with the people we work with or the people we care about. Think of founder.coffee as your own personal support group for business owners. We're all here to help!

The few, the proud, the founders that start it up, don't raise money, kick it into gear, and get to over a million in revenue.

They know things.

What do they know?

Come find out.

From launch to millions in revenue with not outside investment funding, hell yes to that

RSVP (free): https://www.meetup.com/startup-your-startup/events/300398663/

Why Participate? Pitch Club is an event where entrepreneurs learn the criteria and methods used by real investors to evaluate their venture as a potential investment. This is done by recreating a typical investor meeting where a few companies pitch and receive feedback from TiE Oregon Charter Members. These meetings follow the same basic agenda of an investor meeting with three sections: the pitch, Q&A, and investor discussion & decision.

Who facilitates Pitch Club? Pitch Club is organized by Kari Naone, TiE Oregon Executive Director and led by Tom Kingsley, a TiE Charter Member who is an investor and successful entrepreneur.

What to expect? Please minimally prepare for a 5-minute pitch. If time permits each person could get up to 10 minutes so be prepared for that as well. This can include a slides/ppt that will be presented from your computer. Directly after pitching, Q&A and discussion will take place.

Those who attend pitch club will walk away with a better understanding of what investors look for in a pitch and how to answer the questions possible investor will ask. In addition, each presenter will receive a digital copy of their pitch and feedback from their peers and TiE Charter Members.

Interested in sponsoring Pitch Club - please contact [email protected].

re you looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity? CODE PDX is here to help! We are designers, developers, and product managers, both experts and learners, coming together to make our city better for everyone. We welcome all skill levels and disciplines.

CODE PDX is made up of individuals who are interested in changing Portland for the better. We work with local government to fix local services, utilize open data to improve citizen knowledge, and work for the betterment of all. We are just getting started, so there are plenty of opportunities to use your skills. Even if you are not a tech type, we can still have opportunities for you to contribute. So come by and become part of a movement to improve our community!

Curious about the future of AI and how it will impact humans? Join us for an engaging panel discussion exploring the concept of "Human-in-the-Loop" in AI.

We’ll explore how humans and AI can work together to achieve incredible things. But this collaboration raises important questions. Should AI always augment humans? How do we ensure humans working alongside these powerful machines maintain quality and make ethical decisions? Are there cases for full AI replacement and automation? What are the risks?

The future of work, trust in technology, and even the very nature of collaboration are all on the table. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion about AI's potential to augment or replace our capabilities, the ethical considerations of its development, and how we can build a future where humans and AI thrive together.

Our esteemed panel includes: Janet Johnson, Founder, AI Governance Group Dr. Donna Davis, PhD, Director, Strategic Communication Master's Program and Oregon Reality Lab at the University of Oregon Pedro Luraschi, Co-Founder of Hal9 Lindsay Richman, Product Manager at SightX

This meetup is perfect for anyone interested in:

The evolving landscape of AI The future of work and human-machine collaboration Ethical considerations in technology development Join us for an informative and thought-provoking evening!

We have a special sponsor for the food and drink for this event: Spork. Portland restaurants catered to your office. Planning a catered meal for a group can be difficult and time-consuming. Whether you are looking for something tasty to delight colleagues during the next all-hands company meeting or planning a spectacular holiday party, we are here to help every step of the way. Our service is easy to use and will save you valuable time and energy. Knowing the importance of personal connection, every Spork Bytes client has a dedicated point of contact throughout the entire process. We work with over 60 local restaurants to deliver a taste of Portland’s unique food scene directly to you. Mention AI Portland and get free delivery on your first order over 15 people!

Join us at the Shopify Portland Metro Group meetup to learn top-notch eCommerce marketing strategies to boost your online store sales. Whether you are a small business owner, digital marketer, or eCommerce enthusiast, this event is tailored to help you stay ahead in the competitive online marketplace. Our expert speakers will cover a range of topics including social media advertising, web standards compliance, and the latest eCommerce technology trends. Network with fellow retail professionals and web developers to exchange ideas and keep your eCommerce game strong. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your online business presence and maximize your revenue potential!

This is our first Event! So come prepared for a relaxed meetup where we can exchange information, network, share stories, and discuss what we all want to get out of our Shopify Portland Metro Group.

We will have swag, food, and beverages (seltzers, mocktails, and brews)!

Join AI Portland for a relaxed evening of conversation and connection at our May Happy Hour! This is the perfect opportunity to unwind and mingle with fellow AI enthusiasts and professionals in the heart of downtown Portland.

Share your experiences, discuss the latest AI trends, or simply enjoy the company of like-minded individuals. 🍻 Civic Taproom is generously providing a discount during this happy hour of $1 off draught drinks and 15% off to-go drinks. Thank you Civic Taproom!

Why are we doing this?

The goal of this workshop is to provide a refreshing approach to networking. We coach individuals to confidently navigate networking events, ensuring they represent themselves well, understand expectations, and leverage their key skills to achieve their goals. Nobody gives proper training on how to approach these events, making it an oversight in our community. We want to change that! This 90-minute training is the first step in understanding how you can be and what you can do at networking events. I highly encourage those who frequent events to come to this training too. You experts can also come out of this with a new fun approach to the next event you go to.

Who is it for?

We aim to have people in leadership roles to people just starting out in their industries attend this workshop. With the intention to learn from one another no matter what experience level they are at. There is a lot to learn when we come together with intention and skill-sharing practices. An equitable networker seeks diverse gatherings and welcomes opportunities to share.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Active engagement and opportunities to move around (no more feeling glued to your seats) Diverse interactions with a variety of attendees (up to 80 people) Access to tools facilitating meaningful connections throughout the entire workshop (including improv exercises and Toastmaster frameworks) A welcoming atmosphere where networking feels natural

Each person attending will be guided through our education and facilitation training to encourage each and every one of you to leave feeling more in control of your place on the networking floor.

You will leave feeling cheerful, lightweight, and ready for more!

Event Details: Date: Wednesday, May 22nd Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Location: 205 NW 4th Ave, Portland, OR 97209 Don't miss this opportunity to learn and grow in your networking skills. Reserve your spot today!

UPDATE: MAY Demolicious will be at the new westside UpStart Collective location!

::::::: Applications for May are STILL OPEN! Please use the form below to apply to pitch.:::::::::::

Demolicious is back! This monthly pitch event brings together founders and the community to learn about what is being built here and around Portland.

How this all works: If you are a founder, you will apply to pitch here. Don't worry. "Apply" simply means you want to pitch, but there's no real competitive process to be accepted. We just want to see what you're working on before we put you in front of a room full of people.

You will be given 3 minutes to pitch at the event.

The audience will be given a number to text and vote for their favorite one. The one with the most votes will go home with the Demolicious Championship belt.

The belt is not for you to keep as you will have to come back and "defend" it. However, you will be allowed to put your startup sticker (if applicable) on the belt for all to see and to live on forever in infamy!

We will post the projects/companies that will be pitching a week prior to the event. Which means you have until then to fill out the form.

Teams Pitching: TBA

Will you be the next founder to pitch!?!

Portland Design Thinkers is thrilled to host our next speaker Lucy Ziegler: The Power of Design and Strategic Foresight in Practice.

An exploration of the combined power of Design and Strategic Foresight in practice: why and how to apply human-centric research, creativity, and long-term mindset to strategic business problem-solving.

Join us for an enlightening evening as Lucy Ziegler shares her expertise, providing invaluable insights and practical strategies to enhance your approach to tackling challenges.

About our speaker: Lucy Ziegler has been a practitioner in Industrial Design, Experience Design, and Service Design for 20+ years. Over the past 5 years at McKinsey & Company, she split her focus between design projects and projects that use Design to solve complex business problems. As a Certified Futurist and co-creator and leader of McKinsey's Design x Foresight practice, she had the opportunity to bring the unique combination of Design and Strategic Foresight to numerous clients across many industries from startups to Fortune 10 and learned many lessons on how to make this approach more nimble and effective. As a mother of a young daughter, she is committed to helping leaders make the right decisions today to proactively shape a future for generations to come.

If you have any questions or would like to connect with other members of PDT, join our Slack community.

PDT is a volunteer-run organization, and as you can imagine, organizing events can be expensive. We rely on sponsors and donations to help us offset these costs. If you would like to help, we accept donations through Venmo @PortlandDesignThinkers.

Artificial intelligence is quickly taking over all of our lives. Like any tool, it can be used for construction or destruction – good or evil.

On May 24 (Friday evening) the Co-Founder of The Tech Academy, Erik Gross, will teach students how to leverage AI in order to write and debug effective code. This live online free class will start at 5:00 p.m. PST (7 CST / 8 EST).

Learn about useful tools that will help you on your journey as a technology professional!

Register your attendance for this powerful and useful workshop now!

Meetup link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkshop0524 Eventbrite link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkshopE0524

RainSec is an informal group of like-minded security professionals who meet to network and discuss topics of interest in a non-work, non-vendor setting.

While our target audience is experienced information security professionals, this is a public event open to any interested parties. If you have a friend or colleague who might benefit, please pass an invite along.

Follow @PDXRainSec on Twitter for last minute updates.

Because COVID-19 still presents significant risk to some members of our community, we ask that you observe the following and make your own risk assessment decision regarding your attendance:

• If outdoor seating is available and weather permits, we will be outside.
• If you are feeling sick, stay home!
• If you've had a recent COVID exposure, stay home!
• If you are not vaccinated, stay home!
• If you are otherwise considered high risk for COVID, please stay home until you feel it is safe to gather in large groups (20-40 people). We don't want to be the cause of anyone's illness or death.

You can also find us on Meetup.com and Google Groups.

If you're looking for more security-focused community meetups in the Portland area, check out pdx-infosec.com.

Venture funding has been a key catalyst to Oregon's economic growth and job creation. Elevate Capital is proud to be the leading diversity-focused Fund in the State, deploying over $20M to nearly 60 Oregon companies over the last eight years, with a particular focus on women, BIPOC, minority, LGBTQ+, and other historically underserved founders.

​On May 30, Elevate Oregon will bring together founders, experienced investors, community leaders, and elected officials to spotlight upcoming companies in our region and use our collective intelligence to improve the future of Oregon’s startup landscape.

You will hear from the region’s most promising diverse leaders, and there will be dynamic opportunities to explore emerging trends and co-create solutions to foster innovation in our community. Elevate Oregon intentionally creates space for aspiring, diverse founders, investors, and supporters passionate about contributing thought leadership to the local ecosystem.

Register Today - Seating Limited!

Join The Tech Academy as we create the popular and classic game “Connect 4” using Python! In this free live class, Erik Gross (our Co-Founder) will cover the basics of coding for absolute beginners.

This online workshop will be hosted through Zoom at 5:00 p.m. PST (7 CST / 8 EST), on May 31 (Friday evening).

This free coding class is for people who have never written code before, and in it Mr. Gross will explain every line of code in plain English. All technical terms and concepts will be defined simply. Python is one of the most-used programming languages in the world and you’ll get your feet wet here!

Register for this fun and educational intro to coding class for beginners now!

Meetup link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkShop0531 Eventbrite link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkshopE0531

Artificial intelligence is growing in use and power every day. And unfortunately, it is increasingly being used to scam users through complex schemes and even hacking.

In this free workshop, Erik Gross (Co-Founder of The Tech Academy) will give students tools and resources to protect themselves from AI. He will also show you how to recognize if something was generated by a human or artificial intelligence.

Join The Tech Academy on Zoom at 5:00 p.m. PST (7 CST / 8 EST) for this live online event on June 7 (Friday evening).

Register for this special and useful event now!

Meetup link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkShop0607 Eventbrite link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkshopE0607

PDX2600 is a monthly open forum for hackers in Portland Oregon. It happens on the first Friday of every month. There are no memberships, no leaders, and no real structure. Only the free exchange of ideas.

What other event can say that they practice real-time failover in action? Join us again to hear talks from industry experts and community leaders discuss the newest approaches in monitoring and observability. Find out which tools and techniques are in use at some of the largest web architectures in the world.

An Inclusive Event for Monitoring and Observability Practitioners

Monitorama events bring together the brightest minds among the open source development and operations communities. Our goal is to continue to push the boundaries of observability software and practices, all while having a great time in a casual setting.

This event takes place in the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon. If you haven't already experienced Monitorama, this is a great chance to make our acquaintance.

TICKETS: $400

Learn how to create your very own text-based adventure game, similar to the classic game Zork, at this live class delivered by the Co-Founder of The Tech Academy.

This online workshop will teach the basics of the popular programming language Python, and you can join us on Zoom at 5:00 p.m. PST (7 CST / 8 EST), on June 14 (Friday evening).

This live class is for people who have never written code before, and in it Mr. Gross will explain every line of code in plain English. All technical terms and concepts will be defined simply. Python is one of the most-used programming languages in the world and you’ll get a taste of it here!

Confirm your attendance now for this fun and educational Intro to Python coding class!

Meetup link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkShop0614 Eventbrite link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkshopE0614

CascadiaJS is the JavaScript conference for the Pacific Northwest. This year’s event will bring together an amazing group of web developers from across the Pacific Northwest (and beyond). You will find every kind of developer you can imagine:

• Code newbies all the way to senior executives
• Front-end, back-end and full-stack engineers
• Expertise in popular frameworks
• Members of under-represented groups in tech

Over the course of 2 days, you’ll hear 20+ amazing talks by experts in their fields, covering everything from GenAI to TypeScript to leadership. There will be ample opportunities for you to connect with other developers and hiring companies, during coffee breaks, meals and social gatherings at the venue, and karaoke!

Join The Tech Academy on Zoom at 5:00 p.m. PST (7 CST / 8 EST) for our live online event entitled “Using ChatGPT to Prepare for Interviews” on June 21 (Friday evening).

The host of this webinar is Erik Gross (our Co-Founder) and he is not only an experienced software developer who has been working in tech for decades, he is an expert in AI and leveraging ChatGPT. At this free workshop, we will cover how to ace interviews with AI. And don’t worry, no cheating is involved! This will be ethical usage of ChatGPT.

Register for this valuable, yet free, event now!

Meetup link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkShop0621 Eventbrite link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkshopE0621

RainSec is an informal group of like-minded security professionals who meet to network and discuss topics of interest in a non-work, non-vendor setting.

While our target audience is experienced information security professionals, this is a public event open to any interested parties. If you have a friend or colleague who might benefit, please pass an invite along.

Follow @PDXRainSec on Twitter for last minute updates.

Because COVID-19 still presents significant risk to some members of our community, we ask that you observe the following and make your own risk assessment decision regarding your attendance:

• If outdoor seating is available and weather permits, we will be outside.
• If you are feeling sick, stay home!
• If you've had a recent COVID exposure, stay home!
• If you are not vaccinated, stay home!
• If you are otherwise considered high risk for COVID, please stay home until you feel it is safe to gather in large groups (20-40 people). We don't want to be the cause of anyone's illness or death.

You can also find us on Meetup.com and Google Groups.

If you're looking for more security-focused community meetups in the Portland area, check out pdx-infosec.com.

Join The Tech Academy at this free, online intro to coding class, hosted live by Erik Gross (our Co-Founder), where he will show you how to create the game “Hangman” using one of the top programming languages in the world: Python.

The class will be held on Zoom on June 28 (Friday evening) starting at 5:00 p.m. PST (7 CST/8 EST).

This workshop is for people who have never written code before, and in it, Mr. Gross will explain every line of code in plain English. All technical terms and concepts will be defined simply.

Register now for The Tech Academy’s fun, simple and educational Intro to Python coding class!

Meetup link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkShop0628 Eventbrite link: https://bit.ly/ErikWorkshopE0628

Come join The Tech Academy at this very special free introductory online coding class, delivered by Senior-Level Software Developer, and our Co-Founder (Erik Gross). In it, Erik will show you how to build a “Tic-Tac-Toe” video game using the popular programming language: Python.

Attend on Zoom at 5:00 p.m. PST (7 CST / 8 EST), on July 12 (Friday evening).

This live Python class is for people who have never written code before, and in it Mr. Gross will explain every line of code in plain English. All technical terms and concepts will be defined simply. Python is one of the most-used programming languages in the world and you’ll get a taste of it here!

Confirm your attendance now at this fun and very special Intro to coding class!

Meetup link: https://bit.ly/Erikworkshop0712 Eventbrite link: https://bit.ly/ErikworkshopE0712

Why Participate? Pitch Club is an event where entrepreneurs learn the criteria and methods used by real investors to evaluate their venture as a potential investment. This is done by recreating a typical investor meeting where a few companies pitch and receive feedback from TiE Oregon Charter Members. These meetings follow the same basic agenda of an investor meeting with three sections: the pitch, Q&A, and investor discussion & decision.

Who facilitates Pitch Club? Pitch Club is organized by Kari Naone, TiE Oregon Executive Director and led by Tom Kingsley, a TiE Charter Member who is an investor and successful entrepreneur.

What to expect? Please minimally prepare for a 5-minute pitch. If time permits each person could get up to 10 minutes so be prepared for that as well. This can include a slides/ppt that will be presented from your computer. Directly after pitching, Q&A and discussion will take place.

Those who attend pitch club will walk away with a better understanding of what investors look for in a pitch and how to answer the questions possible investor will ask. In addition, each presenter will receive a digital copy of their pitch and feedback from their peers and TiE Charter Members.

Interested in sponsoring Pitch Club - please contact [email protected].

Yeah, no kidding! We’re bringing XOXO back this August 22–24 to Revolution Hall in Portland, one last time.

After the last XOXO in 2019, we had decided to start wrapping things up, planning for one final festival in September 2020. Then obviously the pandemic arrived, derailing our plans entirely, and turns out, postponing them for almost four years.

Since 2019, XOXO sat unfinished in our imaginations, while we’ve watched the world continue to become a more challenging place for independent artists and creators. Many in our community are out of work, crushed by widespread layoffs across the media, games, and tech industries. It feels like many technology companies and platforms are doing everything they can to hurt artists instead of supporting them.

More than ever, we need community and solidarity, to hear each other’s stories, to experience and share our work with each other, to come together and organize to make things better.

Why Attend? Pitch Club is an event where entrepreneurs learn the criteria and methods used by real investors to evaluate their venture as a potential investment. This is done by recreating a typical investor meeting where a few companies pitch and receive feedback from TiE Oregon Charter Members. These meetings follow the same basic agenda of an investor meeting with three sections: the pitch, Q&A, and investor discussion & decision.

Who facilitates Pitch Club? Pitch Club is organized by Kari Naone, TiE Oregon Executive Director and led by Tom Kingsley, a TiE Charter Member who is an investor and successful entrepreneur.

What to expect? Please minimally prepare for a 5-minute pitch. If time permits each person could get up to 10 minutes so be prepared for that as well. This can include a slides/ppt that will be presented from your computer. Directly after pitching, Q&A and discussion will take place.

Those who attend pitch club will walk away with a better understanding of what investors look for in a pitch and how to answer the questions possible investor will ask. In addition, each presenter will receive a digital copy of their pitch and feedback from their peers and TiE Charter Members.

Interested in sponsoring Pitch Club - please contact [email protected].

WordCamp is a conference that focuses on everything WordPress. WordCamps are informal, community-organized events that are put together by WordPress users like you. Everyone from casual users to core developers participate, share ideas, and get to know each other.

Save the date because the first hacklandia happens this October at the old Portland State University Business Accelerator/new westside UpStart Collective location! You will have the opportunity to come to build an idea you have been thinking about or join a team that will be formed to create over 48 hours.

RSVP here: https://hacklandia.splashthat.com/

Space is limited to 150 RSVPs so don't wait. This event will fill up fast!

Why Participate? Pitch Club is an event where entrepreneurs learn the criteria and methods used by real investors to evaluate their venture as a potential investment. This is done by recreating a typical investor meeting where a few companies pitch and receive feedback from TiE Oregon Charter Members. These meetings follow the same basic agenda of an investor meeting with three sections: the pitch, Q&A, and investor discussion & decision.

Who facilitates Pitch Club? Pitch Club is organized by Kari Naone, TiE Oregon Executive Director and led by Tom Kingsley, a TiE Charter Member who is an investor and successful entrepreneur.

What to expect? Please minimally prepare for a 5-minute pitch. If time permits each person could get up to 10 minutes so be prepared for that as well. This can include a slides/ppt that will be presented from your computer. Directly after pitching, Q&A and discussion will take place.

Those who attend pitch club will walk away with a better understanding of what investors look for in a pitch and how to answer the questions possible investor will ask. In addition, each presenter will receive a digital copy of their pitch and feedback from their peers and TiE Charter Members.

Interested in sponsoring Pitch Club - please contact [email protected].

The NW Electronics Design & Manufacturing Expo (NEDME) is the premier trade show and networking event for members of the high-tech industry in the Pacific Northwest. NEDME connects local businesses with engineers, entrepreneurs, buyers, and reps in a fun atmosphere that promotes innovation and learning.

Why Participate?

Pitch Club is an event where entrepreneurs learn the criteria and methods used by real investors to evaluate their venture as a potential investment. This is done by recreating a typical investor meeting where a few companies pitch and receive feedback from TiE Oregon Charter Members. These meetings follow the same basic agenda of an investor meeting with three sections: the pitch, Q&A, and investor discussion & decision.

Who facilitates Pitch Club? Pitch Club is organized by Kari Naone, TiE Oregon Executive Director and led by Tom Kingsley, a TiE Charter Member who is an investor and successful entrepreneur.

What to expect? Please minimally prepare for a 5-minute pitch. If time permits each person could get up to 10 minutes so be prepared for that as well. This can include a slides/ppt that will be presented from your computer. Directly after pitching, Q&A and discussion will take place.

Those who attend pitch club will walk away with a better understanding of what investors look for in a pitch and how to answer the questions possible investor will ask. In addition, each presenter will receive a digital copy of their pitch and feedback from their peers and TiE Charter Members.

Interested in sponsoring Pitch Club - please contact [email protected].