Cville AI Explorers (CvAIEx) - September Meeting #7

Guest Speaker: Doug Turnbull - Search Expert & Technologist

Talk Title: What AI Teams Get Wrong about Vector Search

Vector search is everywhere—from RAG to recommendations—but most AI teams treat it like a magic box. Doug reveals the biggest misconceptions, like over-relying on embeddings or ignoring time-tested search principles, and shows how to build vector-driven systems that are both practical and reliable. If you think “embeddings + cosine similarity” is the whole story, this talk will change your mind.

About Doug: Doug is a recognized leader in search technology, co-author of Relevant Search, and creator of multiple tools and frameworks that push the boundaries of information retrieval. He’s spent years helping teams design search systems that blend classical IR with modern AI. https://softwaredoug.com/

Schedule
5:30 PM - Setup begins
6:00 PM - Doors Officially Open
Feel free to bring your own snacks or grab something from nearby eateries.
6:30 PM - Doug Turnbull
7:30 PM - "Breakout Track" Reports and 3-Minute Pitches
Continuing from our last meeting, if you have an idea for a side-series under the CvAIEx umbrella that you would like to lead, this is a chance to pitch to the group and organize the breakout track:

• Nish Tahir: Technical deep dive into Stable Diffusion
• Mike Powers: Book Club
• Other Ideas? Contact Owen to have your pitch added to this list before the meetup.

7:45 PM - Open Forum
Topics or questions for group discussion:

• Share your personal/group project
• Have an open discussion about [X]
• Share something interesting you saw or read recently
• Other: Contact Owen (via Meetup, Cville Slack, or LinkedIn) to add something to the list in advance, or raise an ad-hoc point at the meeting.

8:00 PM - Wrap Up

Organizers

Owen Zanzal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenzanzal/
Mike Powers - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-powers-4262033/
Chat with us on Cville Slack #cvilleaiexplorers
If you aren't a member of Cville Slack, DM me your email, and I'll send you an invite.

Sponsors

Studio IX
Coworking space in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia, designed for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and remote workers.
Studio IX offers a flexible shared office environment with options for open workspaces, dedicated desks, and private offices. The space fosters a collaborative community through weekly events and mixers, featuring a 'warm industrial' atmosphere with ample natural light.
Amenities include high-speed internet, soundproof phone booths, conference rooms, and premium coffee. Studio IX is staffed by a community manager on weekdays and provides 24/7 access for members.
Tours of the space are available; interested individuals can contact them via:

• Email: COWORK@STUDIOIX.CO
• Phone: 434.260.3803
• Website: https://www.studioix.co/