Holy smokes, what a night! If you weren’t at our last Vancouver AI Community Meetup, you missed out on a goddamn supernova of innovation, collaboration, and straight-up weirdness (in the best way possible).
First off, massive props to everyone who showed up and brought their A-game. You beautiful nerds turned the Vancouver Biennale’s Community Art Center and Future Proof Creatives studio into a melting pot of ideas that would make even the most advanced AI’s circuits fry.
Here’s a taste of the madness:
- Sticker Swap Extravaganza: Gabriela Arno and I unleashed 20 years worth of sticker history. If you snagged one, congrats – you’re now carrying a piece of Vancouver’s tech legacy on your laptop (or forehead, no judgment).
- Pacific Futures Announcement: Kate Armstrong dropped the mic with news about a mind-bending AI and Film event coming this fall. Sci-fi nerds, your time has come!
- Podcast Inception: Samad from Promethean Leaders podcast was in the house, spreading the fire of knowledge. Podcasters, unite!
- AI-Powered English Homework: Shoutout to Matthew Schwartzman for using AI to ace his English class. The future of education or the downfall of society? You decide! Teen2Life Podcast w/ Matthew Schwartzman.
- Fashion Meets Tech: Roz McNulty schooled us on 3D apparel and VR showrooms. Who said geeks can’t be stylish? She also invited us all to check out the Sawmill Motion Capture studio. VR, AR, or just R – she’s having a summer BBQ out there soon.
- Biotech Brilliance: Simon Haworth and Brittney Smaila brought the biotech heat. We’re talking digital twins and drug trials that don’t kill 90% of participants. The future is wild, folks.
- Squamish Nation Wisdom: Jonny Williams blessed us with traditional songs and dropped hints about our Dreamlines project. AI meets Squamish visual art? Yeah, we’re going there.
- Student Power: Ildar Akhmetov from Northeastern University reminded us that they’ve got an army of 500 smart-as-hell Master’s students ready to collaborate. Hear that? It’s the sound of opportunity knocking. Remember, if you’re itching to work with those Northeastern University brainacs, hit up Ildar or Dennis Chenard. They’re your golden ticket to the next generation of tech talent.
- Web Summit Hype: Kassandra Linklatter got us pumped about bringing Web Summit to Vancouver. Rise of the technopunks!
- AI Calendar Magic: Prajwal, our resident high school genius, blew minds with his AI calendar app and landed a sweet gig with Gumloop. The kid’s going places! Prajwal shared his wild ride on the Boreal Express with 50 other high schoolers. Nothing like a little fire in Jasper to spice up a cross-Canada AI hackathon, right?
- Art Space Extraordinaire: Jude from Beaumont Studios shared the epic 20-year journey of creating Vancouver’s coolest art space. From martini glasses to a thriving creative community – now that’s a glow-up!
- Immigrant Empowerment: Gabriela Arno : Our girl Gabriela (yeah, she’s so awesome she gets two mentions) is also working on a separate initiative building a community for immigrant job seekers. If you’ve got ideas or want to help, hit her up!
- Holy Mother of the Void Performance: Marina, AKA Orbit Princess, was ready to blow our minds. Sorry for the cliffhanger, folks – you’ll just have to come to the next meetup to see what she’s got up her sleeve!
”Please welcome Orbit Princess, who will be transforming into the Holy Mother of the Void. Every time Orbit Princess invokes the Holy Mother of the Void, it is an exploration of her own shadow, and what it means to be both human and divine ? Fully improvised, free flow, she pushes at the edges of her own comfort zone, and invites you to feel into your own edges. To take a step into your own shadow, with love & curiosity.
The Mother of the Void is a playful apparition, so don’t be afraid if she approaches you… you are welcome to interact as much or as little as you’d like, with respect of course. She will read your body language as consent- if you’d rather not be touched, crossed arms will be read as a “No Thank You”
Welcome welcome, Holy Mother of the Void ??”
- Atelier Awesomeness: Soham Basu running an atelier, breeding the next generation of tech geniuses. Keep an eye on this space, folks!
AI-Powered Visual Symphony: Lionel Ringenbach blew our minds with CompoVision, an installation that doesn’t just see but interprets. Real-time visual data transformed into interactive art – it’s like giving eyes to AI and letting it paint its dreams!
Hack Space Heroes: Chad from Vancouver Hack Space represented the DIY tech warriors. Soldering irons at the ready, folks – the maker revolution is alive and kicking!
Indigenomics Insight: Carol Anne Hilton from Indigenomics Institute dropped some serious knowledge about Indigenous economic empowerment. AI meets traditional wisdom? Now that’s a power couple. Check out Global Indigenous Technology House.
Parisian AI Performance Art: Quentin Nolot, our visiting artist from Paris, showcased how AI can groove with the best of ’em. This dude’s using AI in performance art, proving that even algorithms can have a bit of that French je ne sais quoi. Can’t wait to see what mind-bending, boundary-pushing stuff he cooks up during his stay! Artificial Muse residency.
Beats and Bytes: Phil Tremble dropped some knowledge about AI in music production before turning the meetup into a straight-up party with his DJ skills. Is there anything AI can’t remix?
Artificial MUSE Magic: Philippe Pasquier, the big brain from SFU’s Metacreation Lab, got us hyped about the Artificial MUSE Artists Residency. Partnering with the French Consulate to blend AI and creativity? Oui, s’il vous plaît! This isn’t just thinking outside the box; it’s teaching AI to build new boxes in two languages!
BDC Brings the Business: Saif Hashmi from Business Development Bank of Canada nshowed up, proving that even the suits are getting in on the AI action. 😉 He even introduced us to a kick-ass founder. Talk about expanding the network – BDC’s not just funding the future, they’re introducing it!
And that’s just scratching the surface, people. The energy in that room was electric enough to power Vancouver for a month.
Remember, this isn’t just a meetup. It’s a movement. We’re not just talking about AI; we’re shaping its future. And we’re doing it with a uniquely Vancouver flavor – a little weird, a lot creative, and always inclusive.
Missed out? Don’t sweat it (but also, kinda sweat it). Our next meetup is coming up fast, and trust me, you don’t want to FOMO on this one. Keep your eyes peeled for the announcement, and grab your tickets early.
Until then, keep dreaming big, stay curious, and for the love of all things binary, keep pushing those boundaries.
Stay weird, stay wired,
Kris
P.S. Huge shoutout to everyone who shared their projects, ideas, and visions. You’re the ones making this community what it is. Let’s keep this momentum going!
P.P.S. If you’re not following us on social media or haven’t joined our Discord, what are you even doing with your life? Get on it!
ATTN: Future Proof Creatives, 290, W. 3rd, Vancouver, BC, V5Y 1G1, Canada
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