Standing in the Space Centre last night, surrounded by morphing digital screens and the buzz of 150+ boundary-pushing humans, I couldn’t help but marvel at how far we’ve come. One year ago, 80 pioneers showed up to explore what a “big tent of AI” could look like in Vancouver. Today, we’re proving that grassroots innovation doesn’t need corporate validation to thrive.
Before diving into the chaos and brilliance that unfolded, I want to acknowledge that we gathered on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. This recognition grounds our work in responsibility – to community, to ethical innovation, and to ensuring AI serves all people, not just the privileged few.

A Special Thanks to Our Visual Storytellers
No moment at the meetup would be preserved without the tireless efforts of our visual documentarians. A heartfelt thanks to Tristan Brand, Michelle Diamond, and Viktor Serbin for capturing the magic in photos and videos, transforming fleeting moments into lasting community assets.

And a special shoutout to Kevin Friel, our very own Mr. Pixel Wizard, for recording all the talks from the stage, ensuring that every insight and radical idea shared lives beyond a single evening.

THE FACES OF OUR REVOLUTION
Loki Jorgensen of Circle Innovation kicked things off with his signature blend of martial arts wisdom and technological prophecy. Between jokes about rushing off to teach his Academy Duello class, he reminded us why we’re here: “I’m not here to be a gatekeeper—I’m here to bring us all into this wild AI revolution.” This perfectly captures our ethos – no gatekeeping, just open doors and open minds.

Brittney Smaila from UBC’s School of Cognitive Systems brought her educator’s perspective, weaving together academic rigor and poetic insight. Her point about AI liberating creative time rather than just automating busy work hit home, especially when she demonstrated it through yet another powerful poetry reading that had the room hanging on every word.

The technical wizardry came courtesy of Kevin, whose real-time generative backgrounds and automated video pipeline using a Blackmagic PIXA 6K camera showed us what’s possible when you merge artistic vision with cutting-edge tech.
“We’re turning live chaos into cinematic art,” he explained while debugging on the fly – a perfect metaphor for our whole community.

Andrew Reid, drawing from his deep experience at Vision Critical and Rival Technologies, dropped the exciting news about a $3,000 prize data storytelling contest. His vision of “turning raw survey data into 2-minute visual masterpieces” sparked immediate conversations about democratizing data visualization.

YOUTH & WISDOM COLLIDE
Perhaps nothing better represents our community’s diversity than Matthew Schwartzman, our 18-year-old podcast host turned sponsorship manager. While juggling logistics and changing clutches (literally), he’s already expanding our reach by launching the Surrey AI Community Meetup. The future belongs to the bold, regardless of age.

THE LEGAL & LOGISTICAL BACKBONE
Marius Adomnica from Segev LLP brought the legal framework we need without the corporate stuffiness we don’t. Their commitment to long-term support shows how traditional institutions can adapt to serve emerging communities.

The physical infrastructure that makes these gatherings possible comes from an unlikely coalition: James Lester’s Sons of Vancouver distillery keeping spirits high, Philippe Pasquier from Metacreation Lab and SFU providing crucial gear (those 55-inch LG screens and $10K sound system don’t hurt), and Corey from Goodness Distributors ensuring we stay hydrated with more than just vodka.

DEEP DIVES & RADICAL THOUGHTS
Lionel Ringenbach‘s “napkin science” breakdown of AI energy consumption was a sobering reminder of our responsibility. Using CodeCarbon’s open-source tools, he illustrated how one day of ChatGPT operation equals a year’s energy for up to 1,560 households – numbers we can’t ignore as we push this technology forward.

Nicole Donnelly brought Seattle’s perspective, proving AI’s potential to revolutionize work-life balance. Her journey from professional snowboarder to global AI workshop leader embodies our belief that technical innovation should serve human flourishing, not replace it.

The academic heavy-hitters Mirjana Prpa tackled the thorny questions of synthetic personas and human identity. Their work on representing marginalized communities through AI sparked crucial discussions about ethics and representation.

Kushal’s fiery defense of open-source principles cut through any remaining corporate pretense: “Open source is the honor, the love, the joy of sharing knowledge—don’t let corporate interests hold us by the balls.” Crude? Maybe. True? Absolutely.

Bryce Musil also made waves, revealing his latest project training AI on human consciousness. “We’re using AI to unlock deeper layers of self-awareness,” he explained. His research bridges neuroscience and AI, opening fresh possibilities for introspection and personal growth through machine learning.

Performance artist Holy Mother of Void (Marina) collaborated with Lionel Ringenbach to create a visually stunning performance. It was the 1 year anniversary of her character and involvement with our meetups and we’re so grateful for her creative energy and collaborative vibes.

Their work fused special hardware with real-time data visualization, pushing the boundaries of how AI can augment artistic expression. “We’re not just interacting with AI—we’re co-creating with it”.

LOOKING AHEAD
We’re expanding beyond monthly meetups. The Surrey expansion is just the beginning. We’re planning film screenings like the upcoming screening of “The Thinking Game,” launching satellite meetups cutting-edge AI research, and creating more spaces for hands-on experimentation.

Unlike traditional tech summits, this meetup isn’t fueled by exorbitant sponsorships. A $50–60 ticket covers food, drinks, performance stipends, and infrastructure, with local sponsors, like…

Space Center’s Lorraine Lowe and Michael Unger providing long-term venue support, Metacreation Lab‘s hardware, and even Matthew’s dad Dimitri Schwartzman championing AI’s integration into real estate – they’re all crucial pieces of this community puzzle.

KEEPING IT REAL
This isn’t about building another tech bubble or chasing VC dollars. It’s about creating space for skeptics, explorers, and activists to shape AI’s future together.

When Orane Cheung of Hollyhock Institute led us in a breathing exercise (yes, at an AI meetup), it reminded us that technology should enhance our humanity, not replace it.

As we cleaned up together and moved the party upstairs, I was struck by how different this feels from traditional tech gatherings. There’s no hierarchy here, no VIP section – just humans helping humans figure out what comes next.

One year in, we’re proving that community-driven, open-source AI initiatives aren’t just possible – they’re essential for ethical innovation and creative liberation.

Vancouver’s AI scene doesn’t need to mirror Silicon Valley or Toronto. We’re writing our own rules, building our own tools, and keeping it weird in the best possible way.

Want to join us? The door’s open and the future is unwritten. See you next month.

#VancouverAI #OpenSourceOrDie #KeepingItWeird

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