Please RSVP in the link above.

Please read or listen to this essay prior to the event:

• Essay: https://darioamodei.com/machines-of-loving-grace
• Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mdVD4aGZiY

What's this Essay about?: In his essay "Machines of Loving Grace," Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, discusses how advanced AI could potentially improve several aspects of society, such as healthcare, mental health, and economic development. Amodei stresses the need for a careful balance between leveraging AI’s benefits and managing its associated risks, highlighting a vision where AI is designed primarily to support and enhance human life.

Dario Amodei is the CEO and co-founder of Anthropic. He previously served as the vice president of Research at OpenAI. He holds a Ph.D. in physics from Princeton University and has contributed extensively to AI safety research.

What's an AI Discussion Group?: This is a discussion group for non-engineers focused on exploring applications of AI in business, productivity, and everyday life. Every month, we’ll listen to a podcast or read an article on our own, then meet up and discuss in small groups. Attendees should have a fundamental understanding of AI concepts like multi-agent systems, prompt engineering, natural language processing, and human-centered design. Our meetings generally follow this format: - Meet and mingle - A few rounds of small group discussions - Grab food/drink somewhere nearby

We will discuss this podcast: - Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/386-information-social-order/id733163012?i=1000672063999 - Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEEmc3Qy2K0 Please listen to/watch the podcast before-hand

What's this week's podcast about? Sam Harris speaks with Yuval Noah Harari about his new book, Nexus, and its application to current crises. They discuss humanity’s capacity for self-destruction, democracy and dictatorship as information networks, the “naive view of information,” the advantages of fiction over truth, trust in institutions, self-correction in a democracy, truth vs. power, truth vs. order, the suicide of conservatism, fixing social media, algorithms as editorial choices, efficiency vs. inefficiency, threats to democracy, and more.

What is a Podcast Club?: It’s like a book club for podcasts. We’ll listen to a podcast episode on our own, then get together at a bar or patio and talk about it in small groups. The atmosphere is casual, low-pressure, and laid back. The idea is to enjoy some thought-provoking conversation, learn a thing or two, and have some fun.

Share your practical and theoretical experience in artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques with others keen to apply their skills.

This is our first meeting, there is talk of pizza and/or beer. We are still feeling things out and figuring out what sort of meeting format (and interest level) we have.

This is open to all skill levels in AI, some of us only started looking into AI a few months ago, others have been doing it for years. Come and learn with us!

COPIOUS is a user-centered digital experience agency. We build digital products with the user at heart and technology in our bones. We recently moved to a new office and now have a large space to host our TechTalks.

About TechTalks:

COPIOUSLabs TechTalks series meets every other Friday at 1pm at the COPIOUS offices. Our talks span artificial intelligence, new programming languages and techniques, computational linguistics, geographic data processing, systems and software architecture, augmented reality, network security, and more as proposed to the Copious engineering team.

About this talk:

Speaker: John Jessee, Senior Software Engineer

The COPIOUS engineering team dives into architecture, use, and benefits of HBase for storage of big data as part of its Tech Talk series on Seven Languages in Seven Weeks by Eric Redmond and Jim R. Wilson.

All are welcome to attend. If you have a talk that you'd like to suggest presenting, please email it to [email protected] along with a brief outline of what you'd like to cover.

A monthly gathering for Portland area tech junkies. More specifically, those focused on data, emerging technology, and general IT topics. Industry vets, IT pros, nerds, geeks, tech philosoraptors, whatever.... Whether 5 or 50 this is an awesome opportunity to get together and talk shop, learn from peers, or just have some beers and a good time.

No management, No selling, No recruiting, No problems. Talking to people about your product(s) or career networking is fine but people "leeching" on the attendance isn't cool so don't do it. Industry folks with expense cards typically cover festivities but this isn't a "sponsored" event and we don't intend to turn BwE into "powerpoint parties". Venue will be dynamic alternating between locations and if group size demands we'll book a location to support.

If you're new to the group or haven't been out in a while we're a pretty dynamic crowd and always have a lot of fun.

At DevelopmentNow, we like learning how to use and program new technology, and the ability to write skills for Amazon's Alexa assistant is pretty exciting. We're hosting a free workshop and hackathon at our offices, during which we'll learn together to write a new Alexa skill, and demonstrate it, in an hour!

Because this will be late October, and because we also like the spooky atmosphere of that time of year, we're going to focus on thinking of skills with a Halloween bent. Given time and interest, we may even be able to put together a decision-tree narration of a haunted house. We're also eager to hear your own ideas and see what all the participants come up with together.

What's the planned schedule?

Our office doors will open at 10 am, and we'll officially kick off the session at 11. We'll share quickstart documents to everyone in attendance, and have a couple of our in-house developers with Alexa experience roaming the place to help figure things out. At 4 pm, we'll wrap up and take turns showing off what we've built.

What are my transport/parking options?

Parking around the east side of the Burnside Bridge is limited, but generally viable on weekends. We're also very close to the MLK and Burnside stop for the A Loop of the Portland Streetcar, or a block from the nearest bus stop on the 19 or 20. We have indoor bike parking as well.

What should I bring to the event?

Please bring a laptop and a willingness to learn! You don't need previous experience. We'll provide power, wifi, workspace, food, cooperative instruction, and our Echo for testing.

Where can I contact the organizer with any questions?

[email protected]

You said there will be food?

Yes! We'll provide coffee and pastries when the office doors open at 10, and order Sizzle Pie around 2 pm for our hard-working participants.

Let's start off the group by working through Fast.ai's 7 week course, Practical Deep Learning ForCoders, Part 1

The describe the course as:

Welcome to fast.ai's 7 week course, Practical Deep Learning For Coders, Part 1, taught by Jeremy Howard (Kaggle's #1 competitor 2 years running, and founder of Enlitic). Learn how to build state of the art models without needing graduate-level math—but also without dumbing anything down. Oh and one other thing... it's totally free!

We'll meet, do introductions and discuss Lesson 1: Image recognition. Please work through what you can from the lesson and come share your findings.

Neurogeeks is a (now monthly!) meetup for people interested in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, technology and the mind. Our meetups address a range of related topics at a "TEDTalk" or Nova level of complexity. Our goal is to build a community of people interested in the brain in Portland.

This month, we'll be discussing various ways scientists and "life-hackers" are trying to enhance brain function and essentially make people "smarter." Lots of interesting avenues of discussion!

For more information, join the meetup and RSVP.

You're invited to the TECHFLUENCE: Portland - May Meetup with presentations from:

• Max Folley (Creative Technology Lead, W+K)

• Grant Thomas (Creative Technology Lead, W+K)

• Toby Roberts (President/COO, Happy Finish)

• Jerry Michalski (Strategy Director, Ziba Design & Founder of REX)

• Moderated by Todd Greco (Interaction Design Director, Ziba)

Join us as we dive into the conversation and become informed, educated, and inspired by the state of Artificial Intelligence.

Doors at 5:30pm, show starts promptly at 6pm. Pizza & drinks to follow.

Full details: https://www.meetup.com/pdxnode/events/241731900/

Our incredible speakers for PDXNode August edition are Suz Hinton (@noopkat), and Bret Comnes (@uhhyeahbret)!

Suz will talk about machine learning in Node, and Bret will be share about the amazing choojs frontend framework & choo6 release! (choo.io)

Join us for a special evening with Daniel Wilson, author of the New York Times bestselling Robopocalypse and its sequel Robogenesis, as well as seven other books.

Daniel, who earned a PhD in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as Masters degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics will be reading from his most recent novel, The Clockwork Dynasty.

After the reading, Daniel will be joined by Todd Greco, Ziba’s Director of Interactive Design, in a conversation exploring where science, technology and design overlap, and the future of machines. We look forward to audience engagement in this conversation. Daniel will be available for a book signing following the speaking program.

The Clockwork Dynasty imagines a history in which humanlike court automatons secretly served the great empires of antiquity. Centuries later, the same machines are running out of power. As the modern-day survivors cannibalize each other for energy, a human scientist will risk her life to find the origin of the machine race, and the key to saving it.

Doors at 5:30pm, show starts promptly at 6pm. Pizza & drinks to follow.

What is Machine Learning? How can you integrate it into your website / script / app? Learn some of the typical use cases (such as Natural Language Processing and Image Recognition), examine code snippets for some of the common frameworks and tools (such as Scikit-Learn, Weka and Tensorflow), and find out about the different ways you can host machine learning models online.

Please RSVP at http://meetu.ps/e/DncMX/18d11/a

Lets get together to discuss all aspects of deep learning and any questions you may have on the Fast.AI or Andrew Ng's coursera course.

Also our own Matt Boyd will lead a discussion on:

"What I've found that works and can still be improved"

Matt will do a brief overview of the general approach to setting up a deep learning Kaggle project, touch on 2 or 3 good practices to follow, and throw around some ideas of what to improve.

Mat will cover how to index the data and build train/validation sets, finding the right balance of augmentation, and strategies for keeping results for 50+ different models straight.

All levels of experience are welcome. We rarely have presentations, though we may someone lead a discussion. Bring your questions, projects and ideas, basic or advanced, and we'll try to help.

Lets get together to discuss all aspects of deep learning and any questions you may have on the Fast.AI or Andrew Ng's coursera course.

We'll also focus on Hinton's capsules and see what we can make of them. Here are some useful links:

• The Arxiv paper

• A great youtube overview

• A Medium Piece

Can't wait to hear your experiences with capsules.

All levels of experience are welcome. We rarely have presentations, though we may someone lead a discussion. Bring your questions, projects and ideas, basic or advanced, and we'll try to help.

Capitalism loves automation. Since the beginning of industrialization 250 years ago, businesses have been replacing human labor with machines. For the last 60 years, globalization has shifted American labor to other countries. And now, the advent of artificial intelligence will eliminate even more jobs.

In this course, we will:

• Consider how a jobless future could create unmatched disruption and suffering -- or limitless opportunity for human flourishing.
• Discuss how not to be a replaceable commodity in a gig economy.
• Strategize how to position ourselves as stakeholders in the emerging automated economy.

Instructor: Douglas Tsoi, JD, is the founder of Portland Underground Grad School (PUGS), a school for everyday life. Before PUGS, he managed a $4 million education and training program at the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. Previous careers include teaching high school history and ethics, as well as being a intellectual property lawyer.

Meets March 7, 14, 21, & 28 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

For more info: https://www.pugspdx.com/march-2018-courses/the-jobless-future

The PDX Startup Week panel discussion will discuss how AI and data can be used by startups. The panelists will highlight local use cases of how companies have used machine learning to support their business cases and accelerate the implementation of their business ideas.

If you are a founder or work for a startup interested in machine learning or data science, this panel discussion will provide you insights of how ML can be applied.

Speaker panel: "A Jetsons or Bladerunner future for our metropolitan areas - are we on the brink of a technology sea-change for Smart Cities?"

Stan Curtis (Urban.Systems),
Kevin Martin (City of Portland),
Kristin Tufte (PSU),
Dave Pelkey (Azimith Communications)
,
Moderator: Bud Borja (CGI).

The idea of Smart Cities has been around for a while. It encapsulates how technology is going to transform the way we interact with City government & infrastructure, local businesses and our communities. It is very exciting to consider all the transformational possibilities when cities are digitally enabled, as well as the impact of emerging technology such as self-driving cars on the City administrative model and the local economy. But what are the barriers to realizing this future? Which cities are having successes and which are having failures? How about our own City of Portland and other cities in the metropolitan area?


Join us for the SIM Portland April 2018 meeting when we will review what is happening with IT and Smart Cities. We will have a panel of thought leaders speaking on NextGen wired and wireless network, Internet of Things (IoT) and sensors, autonomous vehicles, as well as big data & visualization. Come learn what new opportunities and challenges are here today and on the horizon. 



Key topics that will be explored include,


• Review of Smart Cities planning and strategies to date.
• Major technology areas being tackled by Smart Cities groups and collaborations.
• Examples of Smart Cities projects successes and failures.
• What does this all mean to IT leadership? What should IT infrastructure be prepared for?

Agenda
5:30 PM Social
6:30 PM Dinner
6:50 PM Meeting Start
7:00 PM Keynote and Q&A
8:15 PM Close

If you didn't make it to the TFDevSummit then you're in luck: We will bring the summit to you! A whole day of updates will be summarized for you in this session, where you get to hear what is available right now and where the technology is going next.

We are super excited to hold this joint event with the Portland Deep Learning group. In this interactive session, @alkari and @juliobarros will cover major topics and facilitate an open discussion on the latest features available in the framework.

For a bonus, @bhlmn will introduce Convolutional Neural Networks use cases in meteorology; Weather nerdery is a common phenomenon, and armed with a fresh PhD in the field, Bryan will get you thinking about CNN's potentials in Meteorology, now and in the future.

Come prepared for a dialogue and bring your questions, ideas and suggestions. There will be a quiz!

Don't miss this event.

Please register here: https://www.meetup.com/Data-Driven-PDX/events/250626939

AI & Machine Learning are delivering benefits to more organizations every day. We will explore:

Where do I start? How deep learning can be applied Best practices for getting started Decisions you need to make Proof of concept options Cloud, on-premises or hybrid? Resources available to you, and next steps We'll have beer, of course, food, networking, plus a great talk followed by Q&A featuring an AI expert from Skymind. Happy Hour starts at 5. The talk will start at 6 sharp.

Sponsors: Skymind, Pure Storage, Kovarus, Heceta Group

Speaker Biography:

Chris Nicholson CEO & Co-founder, Skymind (https://skymind.ai/)

Chris is the CEO and co-founder of Skymind, an open-source artificial intelligence company backed by Y Combinator, Ron Conway's SV Angel and Ray Lane. Chris worked as a journalist for over a decade, covering business and tech for The New York Times and Bloomberg News. He attended Deep Springs College, holds a degree in economics, and lives in the Bay Area.

Skymind is the leading open-source AI company, creator of Deeplearning4j and the Skymind Intelligence Layer (SKIL), an enterprise distribution for machine learning. It is Red Hat for AI, building machine-learning solutions for the Fortune 2000. Skymind supports companies applying AI to business problems that range from fraud detection to healthcare solutions to smart robots.

ML4ALL is a two day conference​ focusing on machine learning, to be held in Portland, Oregon on May 27-29, 2018.

The goal of the ML4ALL Conference​ is to make applied machine learning accessible to the average software developer​ or enthusiast.

We believe that machine learning should be viewed as a core competency for software developers, and will be a pervasive and essential aspect of almost all human-computer interaction in the near future.

The ML4ALL community wishes democratize machine learning​, highlighting smaller and more mundane use cases, bringing the technology out of the ivory towers​ of top tier tech companies and universities, and into the hands of everyday developers.

Join us July 18 as we welcome Portland voice start-up Tali. Matt, Matt and Matt will dive into their experience building their time tracking app for Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant, Slack and more.

Doors will open at 5:30pm for drinks, pizza and conversation

6:30pm – 7:15pm deep dive into Tali a conversational time tracking system developed in Portland http://telltali.com

7:15pm – 8:00pm Playabl.ai will step through their approach to creating conversational knowledge agents for the enterprise, which help employees get the information they need instantly to do their best work

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm John du Pre Gauntt Host and Curator for the Augmented City Podcast and Contributing Writer for the Economist will paint a vision for Chatbots and AI in the near future (~2025) with a special emphasis on autonomous vehicles and other forms of advanced mobility

7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Steve DeRoos, a HP Strategist and Technical Business Architect will share his experiences transforming HP Customer Support through Virtual Agents/Chatbots and Artificial Intelligence.

PDX Chatbots is a group of designers, engineers, innovators and business strategists who are dreaming up the next generation of digital experiences beyond clicks and swipes. From Alexa to Facebook Messenger and Slack to Cortana, get your front row seat to learn, share and inspire as these exciting new experience models gain market share faster than mobile did at its peak growth in the US.

Meetup focus on inspiration, education and collaboration. A happy hour will precede each Meetup with sponsored food and beverages.

== Slack == There is a #deep-learning channel in the PDX Startups slack which you can join at https://pdx-startups-slack.herokuapp.com

== Topic == Jonathan Mackrory will lead the discussion.

Music generation is one of the applications for deep learning where the emphasis is more on creativity than strict classification or regression. We'll have a presentation giving a quick survey of methods for music generation using deep learning. We'll have a whirlwind tour through representations of the music, important neural network architectures, some of the implementations, and hear some of the output. If we're lucky, some of it might even sound like music. We'll then wrap up with some open discussion about the topic.

The presentation will closely follow and be based on "Deep Learning Techniques for Music Generation - A Survey" by Briot, Hadjeres and Pachet. The article is available here: https://arxiv.org/abs/1709.01620 Note that the article is 108 pages, so there is little expectation anyone will read it. For those that want to look at the article, the essential material is in Ch 4,5,7,10.

ML4ALL is a two day conference​ focusing on machine learning, to be held in Portland, Oregon on April 28-30, 2019.

The goal of the ML4ALL Conference​ is to make applied machine learning accessible to the average software developer​ or enthusiast.

We believe that machine learning should be viewed as a core competency for software developers, and will be a pervasive and essential aspect of almost all human-computer interaction in the near future.

The ML4ALL community wishes democratize machine learning​, highlighting smaller and more mundane use cases, bringing the technology out of the ivory towers​ of top tier tech companies and universities, and into the hands of everyday developers.

In today's news, we see plenty of stories about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world. There are many potential benefits to be gained from AI, but there are also a number of concerns about how it will affect our lives moving into the future. What exactly is artificial intelligence anyway?

In 1986, the mathematician and philosopher Gian-Carlo Rota wrote, “I wonder whether or when artificial intelligence will ever crash the barrier of meaning.” Here, the phrase “barrier of meaning” refers to a belief about humans versus machines. Humans are able to “actually understand” the situations they encounter, whereas AI systems (at least current ones) do not possess such understanding. The internal representations learned by (or programmed into) AI systems do not capture the rich “meanings” that humans bring to bear in perception, language, and reasoning.

In this talk, Melanie Mitchell, a professor of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at Portland State University, will assess the state of the art of artificial intelligence in several domains and describe some of their current limitations and vulnerabilities, which can be accounted for by a lack of true understanding of the domains they work in.

Audience participation in the discussion will be encouraged, and together, we'll explore the following questions:

- To be reliable in human domains, what do AI systems actually need to “understand”?
- Which domains require human-like understanding?
- What does such understanding entail?

Join us for a great presentation and discussion about artificial intelligence! We'll have snacks, and there will be an opportunity for networking afterwards. We hope to see you there!

Schedule:

6:00 PM: Doors

6:10 PM: Introductions

6:15 PM: Presentation

Speaker bio:

Melanie Mitchell is Professor of Computer Science at Portland State University, and External Professor and Member of the Science Board at the Santa Fe Institute. She attended Brown University, where she majored in mathematics and did research in astronomy, and the University of Michigan, where she received a Ph.D. in computer science, Her dissertation, in collaboration with her advisor Douglas Hofstadter, was the development of Copycat, a computer program that makes analogies. She has held faculty or professional positions at the University of Michigan, the Santa Fe Institute, Los Alamos National Laboratory, the OGI School of Science and Engineering, and Portland State University.

She is the author or editor of five books and over 80 scholarly papers in the fields of artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and complex systems. Her most recent book, Complexity: A Guided Tour, published in 2009 by Oxford University Press, is the winner of the 2010 Phi Beta Kappa Science Book Award. It was also named by Amazon.com as one of the ten best science books of 2009 and was long-listed for the Royal Society's 2010 book prize. Melanie originated the Santa Fe Institute's Complexity Explorer online education program, which offers online courses and other educational resources related to the field of complex systems.

By attending this TA3M meeting, you agree to follow our Code of Conduct: https://www.meetup.com/Portlands-Techno-Activism-3rd-Mondays/pages/22681732/Code_of_Conduct/

{short} Code of Conduct Portland's Techno-Activism 3rd Mondays is dedicated to providing an informative and positive experience for everyone who participates in or supports our community, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, ability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, age, religion, socioeconomic status, caste, or creed.

Our events are intended to educate and share information related to technology and activism, and anyone who is there for this purpose is welcome. Because we value the safety and security of our members and strive to have an inclusive community, we do not tolerate harassment of members or event participants in any form.

Audio and video recording are not permitted at meetings without prior approval.

Our Code of Conduct (https://www.meetup.com/Portlands-Techno-Activism-3rd-Mondays/pages/22681732/Code_of_Conduct/) applies to all events run by Portland's TA3M. Please report any incidents to the event organizer.

Topic: The Path to CX Omniscience - The Power (and the Potential Pitfalls) in Predicting User Frustration

Imagine that you could know in real time anytime a user on your site was having a bad experience. Imagine you could know before they have a chance to get frustrated and way before they stop to reach out for help. How would this change your ability to offer support, to understand your product pitfalls and to prioritize the things on your roadmap?

In this month's talk Agata Bugaj, Sr. Director of Product Management at FullStory, will discuss the future of AI in understanding and improving the customer experience, and some of the pitfalls to look out for along the way.

Come network with Portland's top digital marketing, design and optimization professionals at the Show Bar located at Washington High School in Suite 101 on the first floor.

Don't forget to RSVP and spread the word. First round of drinks is on us with an RSVP!

The O'Reilly Open Source Software Conference (OSCON) delivers a unique opportunity to dive deep into the technologies behind emerging and innovative open source projects as well as to learn about all the trends shaping software development today—from AI and cloud technology to blockchain and distributed computing.

Connect with the open source community in Portland this summer. Meet industry experts and exchange insights with peers at networking events, lunch discussions and more. Check out the program and save 20% on your pass with code CAL20.

PDX ML is excited to partner with IBM's Center for Open Source Data and AI Technologies to host a night of 5-minute lightening talks under the theme, "Open Source AI for Social Good."

Maybe you are tired from wandering around OSCON all day, or maybe you're just a local looking for something to do. Join us to learn about what people are doing with AI to help humanity.

Schedule:

6:30pm: Networking (Looking for food/beverage sponsor...)

7:10pm: Opening remarks from Karl, Maureen, and Auggy

7:15pm: Lightening talks - How many is up to YOU! We can easily schedule up to 10, based on community lightening talk pitches. Submit ideas now!

8:45pm: Project Ideas. Pitch your Project Ideas to this meetup group

9pm: End

Got a lightening talk idea you want to present? Sign up now! https://forms.gle/ndt5MvHmiu7qz9P49

Please review the PDX ML Code of Conduct - https://www.meetup.com/Portland-Machine-Learning-Meetup/pages/26227692/Code_of_Conduct/

The Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability Smart Cities Initiative would like to engage Portlanders about surveillance technologies. Come to this class to learn about facial recognition technology and engage in conversation about the potential impacts on peoples' lives.

Companies and governments increasingly deploy intelligent systems to the real world. These systems—depending on the design and purpose—have the capacity to either greatly enhance the general well-being of the world or bring about some form of a science fiction dystopia.

Sean McGregor, who will speak to us via teleconference, will cover both aspects of these systems in equal measure. First, he'll share examples of leading-edge "AI for Good" research. Then, he'll guide us through some real-world harms caused by deployed AI systems as explored from the AI Incident Database now under development with the Partnership on AI. Sean will then wrap up the talk with a discussion of current opportunities and risks in the development of AI systems for the general welfare.

Join us for a great presentation and discussion! We'll have snacks, and there will be an opportunity for networking afterwards. We hope to see you there!

Speaker bio:

Sean defended his machine learning PhD at Oregon State University with research projects at the intersection of reinforcement learning and public policy. He now focuses on solving real-world problems with machine learning and visual analytics, including problems in wildfire suppression, heliophysics, and analog neural network computation.

Outside of his research, Sean serves as technical lead for the IBM Watson AI XPRIZE, chair of the Partnership on AI expert group for Safety Critical AI, and member of the Fair, Transparent, and Accountable (FTA) expert group. Sean's "day job" is developing neural networks to run on analog architectures at Syntiant. Outside of his paid work, Sean co-founded the Portland TA3M, a series of workshops at major academic AI conferences on the topic of "AI for Good," and a now defunct non-profit dedicated to privacy education, the Privly Foundation.

By attending this TA3M meeting, you agree to follow our Code of Conduct: https://www.meetup.com/Portlands-Techno-Activism-3rd-Mondays/pages/22681732/Code_of_Conduct/

{short} Code of Conduct Portland's Techno-Activism 3rd Mondays is dedicated to providing an informative and positive experience for everyone who participates in or supports our community, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, ability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, age, religion, socioeconomic status, caste, or creed.

Our events are intended to educate and share information related to technology and activism, and anyone who is there for this purpose is welcome. Because we value the safety and security of our members and strive to have an inclusive community, we do not tolerate harassment of members or event participants in any form.

Audio and video recording are not permitted at meetings without prior approval.

Our Code of Conduct (https://www.meetup.com/Portlands-Techno-Activism-3rd-Mondays/pages/22681732/Code_of_Conduct/) applies to all events run by Portland's TA3M. Please report any incidents to the event organizer.

We're hosting an unconference focused on finding ways to use AI and machine learning to improve the lives of everyone in the community on October 19, 2019 in Portland, Oregon.

Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are predicted to affect aspects of every business, government agency and organization. In order to understand, better use and control these technologies and changes. We ran a similar event a year and a half ago and everyone got a lot out of it. Many things have changed since then and many issues are the same. Let's figure out where we stand.

This will be a great way to meet others in the community and discuss related topics of interest and concern.

Get your ticket today. There is a small fee that will go towards lunch and supplies. Any extra funds will be donated to a local non-profit.

💻 Intel® Distribution of OpenVINO™

Join us for an overview of OpenVINO with DevCloud demos. The Intel team will introduce you to computer vision workflow using the Intel® Distribution of OpenVINO™ toolkit including support for deep learning models that help accelerate smart video applications. You will learn how to optimize and improve performance with and without external accelerators and utilize tools to help you identify the best hardware configuration for your needs. After the presentation, Intel engineers will be available to answer technical and career questions.

🛠 Installation

Please download and install OpenVINO prior to the workshop: https://software.intel.com/content/www/us/en/develop/tools/openvino-toolkit/choose-download.html

⏰ Agenda

5:15 - Attendees may join waiting room 5:30 - Icebreakers & Introductions 5:45 - OpenVINO workshop - Speakers Intro - Deep Learning Intro - OpenVINO™ toolkit - Model Optimizer - Inference Engine - Hardware - DevCloud demos 7:15 - Next Steps and Q&A 7:30 - Closing Remarks

☎️ We will send out the link to a WebEx invite prior to the event.

👩🏽‍💻 Workshop Speakers

Priyanka Bagade - PhD in Computer Science from Arizona State University, 2015 - 4 years at Intel - Vision Architect: Architect deep learning features and enable them with the latest Intel hardware for Intel® DevCloud for the edge.

Whitney Foster - BS in Computer Science and BA in Asian Studies from Cornell University - 9 years at Intel - Application Engineer: Collaborate with Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and System Integrators (SIs) on application development.

👩🏽‍💻 About Women Who Code

We are a global nonprofit dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers. Our events offer study groups, technical workshops, hackathons, networking events, panel discussions, lightning talks, and social events featuring influential tech industry experts, innovators, and investors. We help you build the skills you need to raise your professional profile and achieve greater career success. Current and aspiring coders are welcome. Join our Slack community here: https://bit.ly/wwcpdx-slack

🔷 Code of Conduct

WWCode is an inclusive community, dedicated to providing an empowering experience for everyone who participates in or supports our community, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, ability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, age, religion, socioeconomic status, caste or creed. Our events are intended to inspire women to excel in technology careers, and anyone who is there for this purpose is welcome. We do not tolerate harassment of members in any form. Our Code of Conduct applies to all WWCode events and online communities. Read the full version at http://www.womenwhocode.com/codeofconduct

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been named as the most widely referred technology in recent times.

One of the variants of AI technology is Artificial superintelligence (ASI). This is where machines become self-aware and surpass the capacity of human intelligence and ability.

This week we are joined by Mounir Shita, founder of Global Economic Alliance, to discuss ASI and the future that it holds. He will be sharing over 14 years of ASI research.

Join us on October 29th at 1pm PT, 2pm MT, 3pm CT, and 4pm ET. We'll be in this google meet room: https://meet.google.com/erw-giij-ktv

Can't make it live? Watch the recording on our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/TTA-techtalks

Don't miss out on another great opportunity to learn and network!

Join MLOps Engineer Chris Thompson as he shows you how easy it is to go from idea to production using Vertex AI on the Google Cloud Platform.

With the knowledge that roughly 90% of machine learning models never make it to production, Google Cloud has been working hard developing its Vertex AI platform to streamline the MLOps process.

Vertex AI provides services that allow machine learning practitioners to train, deploy, and manage production machine learning models and associated data and artifacts.

Join us Friday June 24th at 1pm Pacific Time (2pm MT, 3pm CT, 4pm ET) in our Google Meet Room.

Can't make it live? We will be posting the recording to our Tech Talks playlist on our YouTube Channel: bit.ly/TTA-techtalks

RSVP on Meetup: bit.ly/techTalk624 RSVP on Eventbrite: bit.ly/techTalkE624

Don't miss this great opportunity to learn and network!

The benefits of AI are pervasively accepted, and yet a paradox exists between AI's potential and its success: Research shows that up to 90% of AI/ML initiatives fail adoption; 70% of AI/ML models don't evolve; less than 20% of enterprise functions use AI, and 50% of CDOs fail within the first year. These staggering statistics illuminate organizations' tendency to prioritize artificial intelligence's technological challenges over context, relevancy, and experience. Mindful AI framework is designed to address these challenges and has been successfully implemented to help enterprises accelerate their AI journey with measurable outcomes.

Bio: Ahmer Inam is the Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer at Relanto, a global business process transformation and enterprise resiliency firm. Ahmer has more than 20 years of experience driving organizational transformation with intelligent digital solutions. His experience includes leadership roles at firms like Nike, PwC, and Wells Fargo. Ahmer is a member of the healthcare brain trust at XPRIZE where he is responsible for designing incentives based moonshot innovation competitions. Additionally, Ahmer serves as a Data & AI expert with International Institute for Analytics, and he is on the joint World Economic Forum and Responsible AI Institute task force that is designing the world’s first responsible AI certification program. Ahmer is also on the Forbes Technology Council and an advisor to a number of healthcare startups. Ahmer holds two masters degrees, one each in Industrial Engineering and Economics and a bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Hello, language model enthusiasts and technology integration developers!

Ready to dive into app development with Large Language Models (LLMs) and other machine learning models? Eager to navigate cutting-edge technologies and learn from others' experiences?

You're in luck! Join us at our ultimate developer-focused, LLM app-building inaugural event!

• 📅 DATE: May 11th
• ⌚ TIME: 5pm - 7pm
• 🌍 LOCATION: GRAYBOX, 107 SE Washington St #700, Portland, OR

Experience an evening of LLM exploration and app development perfect for those creating or interested in LLM-based apps. Master key development concepts and integration code through knowledge-sharing and collaboration. Don't miss out!

🍕🍺 FREE Pizza and Beer: Because coding on an empty stomach is no fun!

🎤🖥️ FANTASTIC Presentations:

1. "AI for Beginners: Crafting a Chatbot to Transform Customer Service" with Chris Schuermyer (beginner-level)
2. “Summarize Long Documents with LangChain: MapReduce and Refine” with Jon Page (intermediate-level)
3. TBD: Stay tuned for our third presenter

👩‍💻👨‍💻 ONE Hour of Hands-On Experience:

Develop your LLM app or start with an API, surrounded by skilled and like-minded developers. Bring your app ideas to life!

🤔✅ JOIN US!

Don't wait! Mark your calendar, grab your laptop, and experience an unforgettable night of coding, networking, and app development!

• Your organizers, Brady & Marty

Oh, let me tell you all about this event, It's one you won't want to miss, my friend!

It's all about food and drink, you see, And how AI and ML might change the industry.

We'll have experts and innovators galore, Sharing insights like never before.

From startups to big brands, they'll be here, To talk about how technology will steer.

Imagine a world where your favorite snack, Is made by a robot, with incredible knack.

Or a drink that's crafted, just for you, With AI's help, it's not too good to be true!

So come one, come all, to this event of the year, Where we'll explore the future, without any fear.

Food and drink will never be the same, Thanks to AI and ML, it's a whole new game!

Don't miss out on this amazing chance, To learn and network and maybe even dance!

Startup food and beverage companies, unite, The future is bright, it's gonna be a delight!

RSVP PDQ FFS

Join Defy Security and Sysdig for an event at Level One Beer on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 4:00pm.

Join us for a funfilled and educational evening to discuss how Cloud and AI could impact your business needs.

Space is limited, so register to reserve your spot now!

Please reach out to Ken Robertson ([email protected]) with any questions.

Join Oregon's most exhilarating tech rendezvous, brought to you by Google Developers Group. Enjoy prizes, tasty bites 🍕 (vegan/GF), and amazing speakers from Google at the beautiful Kiln building! 🎊

Finally, engage in an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime audience interview with Ward Cunningham, coauthor of the Agile Manifesto. Learn with us all ways to develop better in 2024!

2:20 - Begin registration, Bites, Networking

3:00 - Intro & Welcome (DevFest Team)

3:20 - Kubernetes in 2024 (Stormforge)

4:00 - 5 Learnings to be a Cloud Dev (Keybank)

4:45 - My Journey as a Non-Traditional Developer (Airbnb)

5:30 - Prizes, swag 🏆

5:40 - Keynote Interview 🎤 - Ward Cunningham

6:15 - Accelerate your Coding with AI (Google)

7:10 - Networking, drinks. Continue at Cartopia

Location: Kiln, 1120 SE Madison Street, Portland, OR 97214

Sponsors (prizes): Composables, Jetbrains, Kodeco Books

RSVP opens: Nov 1

Open to public, free

Limited to first 60 attendees:

1) RSVP, using name on photo ID. Welcome to feature your profile photo (optional) so attendees can learn about you in advance.

2) Join the group page (click Join Us)

Portland Design Thinkers is thrilled to announce our next event with Jim Kalbach, AI Joins The Team: Integrating AI Into Research

Explore the dynamic relationship between the Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework and AI in research with renowned industry expert Jim Kalbach. Investigate the pivotal role of AI tools, including ChatGPT, in refining target jobs, generating comprehensive job maps, and swiftly grasping unfamiliar fields. AI can improve efficiency but also learn from Jim about the importance of understanding its limitations.

Join Jim Kalbach on this insightful journey as he expertly guides you through the powerful synergy between JTBD and AI, empowering researchers to seamlessly transition from a blank page to deeper validation and innovation when AI becomes a part of the team.

About our speaker: Jim Kalbach is a noted author, speaker, and instructor in innovation, design, and the future of work. He is currently Chief Evangelist at Mural, the leading online whiteboard.

Jim is the author of several books: Designing Web Navigation (O’Reilly, 2007), Mapping Experiences, 2nd Ed. (O’Reilly, 2020), and The Jobs To Be Done Playbook (Rosenfeld, 2020). In 2023 he co-authored Collaborative Intelligence (Wiley, 2023) with Mariano Battan. Jim is also the Co-founder and Principal at the JTBD Toolkit, an online resource with learning, trainings, and content.

Join us for the AI Portland inaugural meetup, where we'll dive into how AI is superpowering our day-to-day work. Our first event will feature a dynamic roundtable discussion with sharing insights on using AI to supercharge everyday tasks. Discover ways to streamline your work, save time, and focus on what truly matters.

If you are interested in sharing the way AI has helped you in your job, please reach out to the organizers by email at [email protected] to get more information.

AI is everywhere! And TAO is here for it! Our existing Data Community is growing to encompass AI and we hope that you will join us. Our kickoff event of 2024 will feature you, our community members, and give you time to share your thoughts, ideas, fears, challenges, and insights on AI. If you have opinions, we want to hear them! This is an opportunity to grow the community, network, and share ideas for future programming.

How to run a Large Lanuage Model on your PC or Laptop

Large language models are essentially large files (think GB in size!) that contain information somone can draw upon with a prompt. You've undoubtedly heard of (or used) OpenAI, which uses the ChatGPT LLM.

All OpenAI is is someone else's computer with a large language model installed. So why not do the same thing on your home computer?

For this event I'll walk through how to install an interface to chat with an AI model, download a model that works for you, and how to interface it.

This is intended to be more of a workshop, but since it takes a long time to install and download the models, this is more of a class format (it will be recorded and shared later with attendees).

After the tutorial attendees will be able to contact me with any questions about the process.

What will you need for the tutorial?

A computer. And, of course, an Internet connection. If you have a computer with a graphic card, opt for that, but you can use a local LLM on your laptop all the same.

To Make the Most of the Class

This isn't required, but if you have the technical know-how, I'd highly recommend doing the following:

• downloading (and installing) https://github.com/oobabooga/text-generation-webui for your platform.
• Once it's installed, use the "Download Models" tab to download TheBloke/dolphin-2.6-mistral-7B-GGUF (model info here: https://huggingface.co/TheBloke/dolphin-2.6-mistral-7B-GGUF)

Again, if these instructions don't make sense or you find them confusing, don't worry! I'm not expecting anyone to have done this.

Still have questions? Feel free to reach out to me on XMPP: xmpp://[email protected]

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is currently in the news almost every day — chatbots like ChatGPT, image generators like Dall-E, and a host of other tools are now available and being put to use in a variety of ways.

While these software algorithms can potentially help us to work faster and smarter, there are many issues to consider in whether and how to implement them. Details that must be addressed include: What data is being used to train the language models? Who owns the source data and the outputs that are generated? How accurate are the models? How much human oversight of the model-building process is there? And what are the potential harms when things go wrong?

These algorithms are already being used to make decisions about people’s lives, like whether a person gets a job or a bank loan and how much time a person convicted of a crime might spend in jail, but students in particular are having their lives and actions analyzed more and more every day. For instance, proctoring software tries to determine whether students are cheating on exams, other software looks for plagiarism in student essays and reports, and there’s even software that analyzes emotions and/or physical objects — Is the student happy or angry? Are they holding a cellphone or a gun?

This month, leaders from Encode Justice Oregon — Maansi Singh, Sahana Srinivasan, and Julianne Huang — will join us to share their experiences and their work on drafting policy recommendations for use of AI in schools. They’ll speak about their concerns and how they think these technologies should be used in educational settings. They'll also discuss the upcoming Youth Citizens Assembly, which will give students an opportunity to add their voices to the digital privacy conversation and pitch their own ideas.

Come join us, and bring your questions and thoughts about AI in schools!

Please RSVP via the Meetup link or by sending an email to [email protected].

Speaker bios:

Encode Justice is a global coalition of youth activists fighting for justice and accountability in the digital age. Oregon’s chapter, Encode Justice Oregon, works to educate their school, local and statewide communities about algorithmic fairness while supporting legislation that encourages the safe and effective implementation of new technologies. From working with the Oregon DOJ's Consumer Privacy Task Force to engaging in connections with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Smart City PDX, PDX Privacy, and Rose Haven, Encode Justice Oregon has established a statewide presence centered around furthering the digital privacy and equitable technology movement.

Maansi Singh is a senior at Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Encode Justice Oregon Chapter. Maansi has participated in discussions surrounding the role of youth advocacy in AI ethics with organizations such as the United Nations, Washington Post, Google, ACLU, Meta and the World Economic Forum. Maansi believes that intellectual curiosity and the pursuit of new questions surrounding AI are ontological components of the ongoing discussion about human rights. Through Encode Justice and other efforts, she has pursued the intersection between computer science, ethics, policy and education.

Sahana Srinivasan is a sophomore at Jesuit High School. She is the Director of Education for Encode Justice Oregon. She is especially interested in the intersection of AI in medicine. AI ethics is important to her because in the medical field, it is critical that AI systems are both accurate, reliable, and without bias.

Julianne Huang serves as the Co-Director of Research for Encode Justice’s Oregon Chapter. Her position allows her to bring a youth voice into the AI Ethics conversation and inspires her to continue being an advocate for people like her who have grown up in a tech-centered world. Outside of EJ, she is a math and science enthusiast who enjoys participating in dance and choir.

By attending this TA3M meeting, you agree to follow our Code of Conduct: https://www.meetup.com/Portlands-Techno-Activism-3rd-Mondays/pages/22681732/Code_of_Conduct/

{short} Code of Conduct Portland's Techno-Activism 3rd Mondays is dedicated to providing an informative and positive experience for everyone who participates in or supports our community, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, ability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, age, religion, socioeconomic status, caste, or creed.

Our events are intended to educate and share information related to technology and activism, and anyone who is there for this purpose is welcome. Because we value the safety and security of our members and strive to have an inclusive community, we do not tolerate harassment of members or event participants in any form.

Audio and video recording are not permitted at meetings without prior approval.

Our Code of Conduct (https://www.meetup.com/Portlands-Techno-Activism-3rd-Mondays/pages/22681732/Code_of_Conduct/) applies to all events run by Portland's TA3M. Please report any incidents to the event organizer.

​​OVF is excited to kick off the first PDX AI Demo Night to showcase the AI products coming from the founder and engineering community through lightening demos + Q&A. ​

​Join us for an evening of networking and excitement, as we revel in the latest AI demos from:

​Hello Wonder DXM Paxton Reclaim

​Agenda: ​​​​​6:00-6:30pm: Welcome & mingle ​​​​​6:30-7:15pm: AI Demos ​​​​​7:15-8:00pm: Food & drinks

​Please make sure to register, as we have limited capacity - seats will fill quickly!

​We're gathering at Kiln - a beautiful new co-working space on SE Hawthorne.

Last month, we heard about the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in our educational system, but these technologies are also being incorporated into many other commercial and social enterprises that impact our daily lives, including the fields of medicine, journalism, finance, human resources, law enforcement, and transportation, just to name a few.

While AI technologies may be beneficial to society, how do we know that the systems being developed are trustworthy and that they actually do what their creators claim? Can developers explain how their AI systems work and demonstrate that the outputs they generate are not biased? How might governments regulate these systems? Should companies be allowed to regulate themselves? How might governments and companies work together to ensure fairness and understandability of what the systems are doing?

Last year, World Privacy Forum, a privacy-focused research nonprofit, studied various AI governance tools currently in use around the world. They recently published their findings via a report that was co-authored by Pam Dixon, executive director of World Privacy Forum, and Kate Kaye, deputy director of the organization: https://www.worldprivacyforum.org/2023/12/new-report-risky-analysis-assessing-and-improving-ai-governance-tools/

At this month's meeting, World Privacy Forum’s Kate Kaye will join us to share the details of their research methodologies and what they learned about how governments are overseeing the implementation of AI in their countries. She'll give an overview of what AI is and what it does, and she'll also present some examples of both effective and ineffective approaches to good governance of these systems.

Bring your questions and thoughts about AI governance, and come join the discussion!

Please RSVP via this Meetup page or by sending an email to [email protected].

Speaker bio:

Kate Kaye is a Portland resident and deputy director of World Privacy Forum, a nonpartisan public-interest research nonprofit. Her research focuses on the implications of AI, digital identity and health data ecosystems, data governance, and other issues related to data collection, use and privacy.

Before joining World Privacy Forum, Kate worked for more than 20 years as an award-winning journalist covering data, emerging technology and the impact of tech on people and society. Her reporting has been seen and heard in MIT Technology Review, NPR, Protocol, Bloomberg CityLab, OneZero, WSJ, Fast Company, and other media outlets.

Kate is the founder of tech and AI ethics reporting website RedTailMedia.org. RedTail has been home to some of her work investigating algorithmic and surveillance tech policy and use in Portland including Banned in PDX, a podcast series about Portland’s facial recognition ban, and an investigation of the city’s collapsed partnership with Google-sibling Replica, a location and mobility tracking company. Kate is the author of the 2009 book on digital voter data use, Campaign ’08: A turning point for digital media.

By attending this TA3M meeting, you agree to follow our Code of Conduct: https://www.meetup.com/Portlands-Techno-Activism-3rd-Mondays/pages/22681732/Code_of_Conduct/

{short} Code of Conduct Portland's Techno-Activism 3rd Mondays is dedicated to providing an informative and positive experience for everyone who participates in or supports our community, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, ability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, age, religion, socioeconomic status, caste, or creed.

Our events are intended to educate and share information related to technology and activism, and anyone who is there for this purpose is welcome. Because we value the safety and security of our members and strive to have an inclusive community, we do not tolerate harassment of members or event participants in any form.

Audio and video recording are not permitted at meetings without prior approval.

Our Code of Conduct (https://www.meetup.com/Portlands-Techno-Activism-3rd-Mondays/pages/22681732/Code_of_Conduct/) applies to all events run by Portland's TA3M. Please report any incidents to the event organizer.

Join AI Portland for a relaxed evening of conversation and connection at our March Happy Hour! This is the perfect opportunity to unwind and mingle with fellow AI enthusiasts and professionals in a laid-back atmosphere. Share your experiences, discuss the latest AI trends, or simply enjoy the company of like-minded individuals. Food and drinks can be purchased at your leisure, so you can snack and sip while engaging in stimulating discussions about all things AI.

Starting a virtual weekly chat to talk about AI. Super rough agenda is cool insights, demo live code if ya want, and any challenges you'd like help on. Agenda is totally open to suggestions, I by no means need to control this thing at all. I've also invited the startups that are part of Bend Startup Central so we can get some cool Oregon synergy vibes.

This council is established by Governor Kotek's Executive Order 23-26 to recommend an action plan to guide awareness, education, and usage of artificial intelligence in state government that aligns with the state's policies, goals and values and support public servants to deliver customer service more efficiently and effectively. This is a governor ordered council.

Are you feeling the buzz around AI but struggling to find clear guidance on using or building AI tools and systems safely and ethically, while taking advantage of the power of AI? What best practices are organizations adopting now around the ethics and safety of AI? What questions should you be asking? What should you do now to prepare for possible laws and regulations?

The TAO AI & Data Community invites you to join us for an informal, conversational panel discussion that aims to foster AI literacy and spark dialogue about AI's emerging role in all kinds of organizations.

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.

Looking to raise capital for your AI or data science-based venture? Considering creating a startup in this space? Join the TAO AI & Data Community to hear from and engage with VCs, CEOs and funders in this informative event focused on best practices in finding external capital to launch or grow your business. Panels include some of the leading PNW VCs as well as alternative funding sources, and from CEOs with recent successful fundraising experience. This event will fill up fast, so register now!

Join us at the AI Portland Meetup for an insightful panel discussion on the intersection of generative image AI and the creative industries. Our panelists, each with their unique expertise, will shed light on how professionals in various creative fields are harnessing the power of AI tools while preserving the essence of their craft.

April's Panelists:

Aaron Hockley, Author and Photographer Aaron Hockley is a photographer, author, and speaker who merges his expertise in photography and technology to help others find success. He’s a PPA Master Photographer and Photographic Craftsman and has represented Team USA in the World Photographic Cup. He writes and speaks about technical aspects of photography, photo businesses, and the industry as a whole. He's spoken to audiences of photographers, marketers, and media professionals on stages of all sizes nationwide. Aaron’s recent ventures have focused on how Artificial Intelligence impacts how photographers capture, edit, and manage their images with an eye toward the shifting future of the industry. Find Aaron: https://techphotoguy.com https://youtube.com/@techphotoguy https://instagram.com/techphotoguy

Karly Hand, Brand Developer & Creative Lead Seasoned brand developer and creative director Karly Hand blends strategic insight with creative vision to craft compelling brand narratives. With a distinguished portfolio spanning two decades, she has cultivated and propelled lifestyle brands like Aspen Snowmass, Verb Products, Smith Optics, Microsoft, and Adidas, shaping their identities and communicating their core value through strategic, artful brand expressions.

Karissa Liloc, Principal Product Manager Karissa Liloc (she/her) is a Principal Product Manager at Getty Images focused on Generative AI and other tools that make it easier for customers to find and use imagery. Previously at Disney and Gap, Inc, she has a track record of bringing cross-functional teams together to provide solutions to user problems and business challenges. Her most recent work has been bringing Generative AI by Getty Images to market, offering commercially safe, easy-to-use, AI image generation that compensates creators.

Emily Maass, Attorney Emily represents cutting edge companies as privacy and product counsel, general counsel, and a data protection and cybersecurity advisor. She helps clients navigate complex privacy frameworks, contract negotiations, regulatory compliance, and daily business operations, and she provides ongoing counsel for product development, launch, and management. Emily supports companies in AI, web3, gaming, automation, and software applications serving a broad range of industries.

This event promises a deep dive into the world of generative image AI, providing valuable insights for photographers, designers, AI enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the intersection of technology and creativity. Whether you're an artist seeking to enhance your craft or a business professional curious about the possibilities of AI, this meetup is your opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the subject and engage in thought-provoking discussions.

Join us this Friday, April 19th, at 1 pm PST for a technical walkthrough of the DSPY library with Chris Thompson.

DSPy is a library released out of Stanford University that aims to completely change the prompting process by treating it less like whack-a-mole and more like training a machine learning model.

In this Talk, Christopher will discuss: - Prompt Engineering - OpenAI Functions - Explanation and demonstration of the DSPy library - Q&A

Currently, Chris works as a Machine Learning Articecht for Insight, a Fortune 500 solutions integrator helping organizations accelerate their digital journey.

Join us Friday, April 19th at 1 pm Pacific Time (2 pm MT, 3 pm CT, 4 pm ET).

Register on Meetup: https://bit.ly/TechTalk419 Register on Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/TechTalkE419

Networking Opportunity: For those seeking valuable connections, this event is your golden ticket. Engage, learn, and expand your network with like-minded tech enthusiasts.

Take this chance to gain insights, ask questions, and connect with like-minded individuals. See you there!

OVF is excited to hold the second PDX AI Demo Night!

​The goal of this event is to showcase the AI products coming from the founder and engineering community through lightening demos and Q&A.

​Join us for a fun evening of learning & networking, as we revel in the latest AI demos from:

​ Digs

​ Hello Wonder

​ Skypoint

​ Squidgies

​Agenda:

​ 6:00-6:30pm: Welcome w/ Food & Drinks

​ 6:30-7:15pm: AI Demos

​ 7:15-8:00pm: Networking

​Please be sure to register now, as we have limited capacity and seats will fill quickly!

​The location and any additional details will be provided to registrants prior to the event.

in-person meetup. Please RSVP on Meetup dot com

Building a custom AI chatbot with Spring Boot, React, and LangChain4j by Marcus Hellberg

Have you ever wanted to build an intelligent chatbot that understands your specific business context? This presentation takes a practical engineering approach to AI. You'll learn how to interact with large language models (LLMs) from code and how you can extend their capabilities by giving them access to your own content and selected Java methods through retrieval-augmented generation (RAG).

This talk will feature hands-on coding, where you'll learn to implement a custom AI chatbot with Spring Boot, React, LangChain4j, and Hilla. Walk away with a solid understanding of how you can integrate AI into your own application.

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!

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 25 (Saturday 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

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

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

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

Unlock Your Future with Kevin Zaw: The Tech Talk You Can’t Afford to Miss!

This Friday, 13 of September at 1 PM, dive into the world of tech innovation with Kevin Zaw, a trailblazer who turned his start at The Tech Academy into a stellar career at industry giants like Oracle and Salesforce. With 5 years of high-impact experience, Kevin has become a master in Revenue Transformation, Pre-Sales, and AI - and he’s ready to show you how to do the same!

Here’s Why You Need to Be There:

Discover how Kevin transforms complex challenges into breakthrough solutions with his cutting-edge approach. Get the insider tactics that have helped Kevin drive success at some of the biggest names in tech. Learn how to stay ahead of the curve by mastering AI and positioning yourself at the forefront of industry trends. This isn’t just another talk, it’s your chance to learn from a true industry expert who’s been where you are and knows exactly how to rise to the top.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to elevate your tech career!

Details Getting into the back-to-school spirit, we'll be holding our first-ever AI Science Fair, an exciting event organized by AI Portland. Modeled after middle school science fairs, this event provides an interactive platform for AI enthusiasts to showcase their projects and engage in insightful discussions.

Each participant will be given a station to display their completed work for others to see and discuss. Join us for an event filled with innovation, creativity, and fun!

Want to showcase your project? We'll be accepting submissions soon. (Note: we'll be looking for fun, interesting, and creative projects, but no explicit product pitches or demos.)

Please listen to this podcast episode prior to the event: RadioLab | Voice Clones: - Apple:: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shell-game/id152249110?i=1000668620552 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3bZauVWsfSVMDWUH37RT1e

What's this week's podcast episode about? One man secretly hands off more and more of his life to an AI voice clone. This episode features veteran journalist Evan Ratliff who - for his new podcast Shell Game - decided to slowly replace himself bit by bit with an AI voice clone, to see how far he could actually take it. This episode surfaces questions about AI ethics and how AI agents might impact various aspects of our life and work.

What's an AI Discussion Group for Non-engineers? This is a discussion group for non-engineers focused on exploring the latest applications of AI in business, productivity, and everyday life. Every month, we’ll listen to a podcast on our own, then meet up and discuss in small groups. Attendees should have a fundamental understanding of AI concepts like: multi-agent systems, prompt engineering, natural language processing, and human-centered design.

Our meetings generally follow this format: - Meet and mingle - A few rounds of small group discussions - Grab food/drink somewhere nearby

More info at links below: Https://cascadialabs.app/s/shop Https://linktr.ee/codexcarbon

As we navigate the evolving landscape of AI, understanding and developing robust policies is more crucial than ever. Join us as we discuss practical considerations when evaluating AI policies for your company or team. Leave with real tips and tricks for navigating this at your job.

Meet our panel:

• Suzame Tong, Corporate Marketing Executive: From start-ups to scale-ups through IPO, Suzame Tong is a proven corporate marketing leader with depth of experience in brand, PR, social, and executive and employee communications for global B2B SaaS companies.
• Lyndsey Washburn, Director of Public and Social Sector Policy for the AI Governance Group: Lindsey is a social impact leader and policy expert with over 15 years of experience working across all sectors. As Director of Public and Social Sector Policy for the AI Governance Group, Lindsey provides strategic guidance to nonprofits and governments on how to leverage AI in a responsible and ethical way. She's an inaugural Affiliate of All Tech Is Human, a Research Member of the Center for AI and Digital Policy, and a Responsible AI Advocacy member of the GovAI Coalition, among other affiliations. Lindsey has built her career on bridging gaps between diverse stakeholders and driving systemic change through participatory policymaking, with a particular focus on using technology to strengthen democratic institutions.
• Jordan Plawner, AI Strategy Advisor and Product Management Executive, AI Advisory Group: Founding member of The AI Advisory Group, Jordan was previously Intel's Global Executive Director of AI Product Management, where he led teams to launch seven generations of AI products and build a $3 billion annual business. Jordan specializes in aligning AI technology with organizational needs. As an AI evangelist featured on CNN and Time, he focuses on empowering leadership, transforming workforces, and crafting strategies to integrate AI into business operations.
• Nicole Mors, Co-founder of AI Portland and Group Design Manager at Lithia Motors: Nicole is a seasoned Product Design Leader with a deep passion for crafting engaging digital experiences that drive business success across diverse industries. Her expertise spans leading design teams within tech organizations of all sizes, where she's committed to fostering growth and instilling a culture of passion and enthusiasm.

This is a special Vantechy!

We are announcing a special Partnership with the Applied A.I. Association out of Silicon Valley! https://aaiaglobal.com/events/event-one-c2ta6

Meet Brian Hamilton, the President of the Oregon and SW WA chapter of this powerful organization!

If you are working with AI this organization is going to be essential to get the latest information from the leading minds involved in all facets of AI.

Our Vantechy group has been an event designed for engineers, programmers, and all-around tech enthusiasts. Our goal is to bring together individuals who spend their days immersed in technology, from pixels to code, and provide a space to connect with like-minded professionals.

We understand the importance of sharing experiences and learning from others in the field. Whether you work in Data, UX, AI, or any other tech domain, VanTechy offers a unique opportunity to network, share stories, and gain new insights.

Come and enjoy a casual drink and some food while mingling with fellow tech professionals, enthusiasts, and investors in the Vancouver, WA area. We look forward to seeing you!