About us
This is a group for people who want to explore, share, and learn about artificial intelligence, machine learning, neural networks, intelligent machines etc. and understand the creative minds behind these creations.
We meet on the First Monday of every month at EPIC Innovation. We typically feature a couple of speakers, mingle with drinks, and share new tools and insights about AI.
Give feedback on the group, or apply to speak, by filling out this form.
Upcoming events
3
March AI Meetup - Multimedia Video & Image Generation
EPIC Innovation Center, 78-100 Manchester St, Christchurch, NZPrompt engineers are movie producers now, and in March's First Monday Meetup, we will make a movie together. Caelan Huntress will demo image generation using concepts crowdsourced from the audience, and Arthur Machado will craft video assets from those images during the event. Drinks, demos, and practical takeaways included.
Meetup with your local AI community on the First Monday of March at EPIC Innovation:
5:30–6:00 pm — Drinks & Networking
6:00–6:45 pm — Ai Image Generation — Caelan Huntress
6:45–7:30 pm — Ai Video Generation — Arthur Machado
7:30–8:00 pm — Drinks & Open Q&AAi Image Generation — Caelan Huntress
Making images in the age of Ai only requires imagination. Visual art is no longer limited by skill or craft. Anyone with an idea can make an image in any style with Ai. Now you can generate any image you can describe. The tools have become so simple, we are all artists now. Your willingness to refine and revise, to use your creative taste, matters more than your skill with a brush or a tool.After this session, you will gain practical insights into how you can:
- Create multiple image concepts with parallel prompting
- Use the 5-step Creative Process to manage a volume of ideas
- Develop a reusable prompt for your signature artistic style
Ai Video Generation — Arthur Machado
Big ideas can become high quality videos with only a text prompt. Producing video content used to require access to equipment, and talent, and funding. Now, you don't need a movie studio, or a graphics budget, or even skills. Just a good idea (and good taste!) can make a good movie, with a little prompting.You will learn:
- The difference between generation models and aggregators
- How to segment your focus from exploration to production
- The 3 methods of generating videos with AI
***
When: Monday, 2 March, 5:30–8:00 pm
Where: EPIC Innovation, Christchurch***
Sponsored by the Ai Coaching Academy. Come have some beer and wine and raise a glass with your local AI Community!
51 attendees
April AI Meetup - Vibe Coding & Web App Development with AI
EPIC Innovation Center, 78-100 Manchester St, Christchurch, NZExplore how SOPs can be turned into Web Apps with Vibe Coding on Claude in April's First Monday Meetup. Greg Dickson will be showing how non-developers can transform Standard Operating Procedures into fully functional web applications, while Caelan Huntress will be sharing how to build software by describing what you want instead of writing code. Drinks, demos, and practical takeaways included.
Meet up with your local AI community on the First Monday of April at EPIC Innovation:
5:30–6:00 pm — Drinks & Networking
6:00–6:45 pm — Greg Dickson - Web Apps for Non-Devs
6:45–7:30 pm — Caelan Huntress - Vibe Coding with Claude
7:30–8:00 pm — Drinks & Open Q&AFrom SOP to Web App (No Developers Required) — Greg Dickson
Learn how non-developers can transform Standard Operating Procedures into fully functional internal web applications, no coding experience needed.Key Points:
• Turn any documented process into an interactive tool your whole team can use
• Build apps with user logins, databases, and professional interfaces — all through conversation
• Eliminate bottlenecks waiting for IT or development resources
• Scale your internal processes without scaling your tech teamWho This Is For:
- Operations managers, team leads, and business owners
- Anyone with SOPs who wants to make them easier to follow and enforce
- Non-technical professionals looking to build real tools for their teams
Vibe Coding with Claude — Caelan Huntress
Discover how to build software by describing what you want instead of writing code line by line. Learn the art of "vibe coding" — where you set the direction, and Claude handles the implementation.Key Points:
• Code through conversation: Express your ideas naturally and watch them become working software
• Debug faster by explaining problems instead of hunting through stack traces
• Iterate rapidly: Change direction mid-build without rewriting everything
• Build beyond your skill level: Create full-stack applications even if you're not a developer
• Learn while you build: Understand what's happening under the hood through AI explanationsWho This Is For:
- Founders and entrepreneurs who need to ship products quickly
- Developers who want to code at the speed of thought
- Product managers ready to prototype their own ideas
- Anyone who's ever been frustrated by the gap between vision and execution
***
When: Monday, 6 April, 5:30–8:00 pm
Where: EPIC Innovation, Christchurch
***Sponsored by the AI Coaching Academy. Come have some 🍻 beer and wine🍷 and raise a glass with your local AI Community!
https://ai-coaching.academy/4 attendees
May AI Meetup - Governance and Literacy Implementation
EPIC Innovation Center, 78-100 Manchester St, Christchurch, NZExplore AI Governance and AI Literacy Frameworks at May's First Monday Meetup. Todd Bowman explores AI governance implementation while Dr Elsamari Botha examines multi-dimensional AI literacy frameworks. Drinks, demos, and practical takeaways included.
Meet up with your local AI community on the First Monday of May at EPIC Innovation:
5:30–6:00 pm — Drinks & Networking
6:00–6:45 pm — Dr Elsamari Botha - AI Literacy & Operating Models
6:45–7:30 pm — Todd Bowman - AI Governance Implementation
7:30–8:00 pm — Drinks & Open Q&AThis month's First Monday Meetup dives into practical implementation frameworks for AI readiness.
Beyond Prompting: Multi-Dimensional AI Literacy and New Operating Models for the AI Era — Dr Elsamari Botha
The integration of AI into organizations represents more than a technological upgrade, it demands a fundamental transformation in how we work, decide, and deliver value. While many AI upskilling efforts focus narrowly on prompting techniques, truly thriving in an AI-enabled world requires a far more comprehensive approach. This talk explores two critical dimensions of organizational readiness for AI: Multidimensional AI Literacy Frameworks, and new Operating Models for the AI Era (and the skills employees will need to thrive in these contexts).In this session, Dr Elsamari will:
• Define what multi-dimensional AI literacy really means beyond prompting
• Present frameworks for building AI capability across organizations
• Explore new operating models required for the AI era
• Discuss the skills employees need to thrive in AI-enabled environmentsTodd Bowman - Best Practices for AI Governance Implementation
As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in business operations worldwide, organisations face a critical inflection point: the shift from experimental AI adoption to sustainable, responsible integration.In this session, Todd will:
• Share proven governance frameworks that balance innovation with accountability
• Explore practical implementation strategies for AI oversight and ethics
• Discuss how to build organisational capacity for responsible AI deployment
• Address common challenges in establishing AI governance structures***
When: Monday, 4 May, 5:30–8:00 pm
Where: EPIC Innovation, Christchurch***
Sponsored by AI Coaching Academy. Come have some beer and wine and raise a glass with your local AI Community!
2 attendees
Past events
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