Beyond Chatbots: Connecting AI to Your Apps (MCP)

The Vibe: We all know AI is handy, but copying and pasting text back and forth is a pain. It’s time to stop chatting at your AI and start working with it.
Join us at Powerhouse for a practical evening looking at MCP (Model Context Protocol). In simple terms, it’s a new way to plug AI tools directly into your files, emails, and business software so they can actually "see" what you're working on.
What to Expect: A relaxed evening with local experts showing you how to connect AI to the apps you use every day. No heavy coding knowledge required - just a curiosity about how to work smarter.
The Lineup:

• The Big Picture: Tim Ackroyd (Custom D / Caitlyn) gives the lowdown: What is MCP, and why is everyone suddenly talking about it?
• Your Personal Admin: Blake Harkness shows how to automate the boring stuff. Watch him connect an AI agent to Gmail, Drive, and Notion + more to handle his admin work.
• Your Business Data: Regan Ashworth (Developer of the Xero MCP Server) shows us the future of accounting - securely asking AI questions about your Xero data without opening a spreadsheet.

The Details:

• When: Thursday, 15th Jan, 5:30 PM
• Where: Powerhouse Coworking (114 Peterborough St)
• Who: Open to everyone. Whether you're a dev or just "AI Curious," you’re welcome.

🍕 Pizza provided. Come have a yarn with the Chch AI community!