R as an AI Tool Server: Exposing R Workflows through MCP

Can R tame the MCP chaos? Or better yet… can it speak foreign? 🤖
“I Like It When You Talk Foreign”
An evening exploring MCP, AI tooling, databases, and graphs — all through R.
Two talks. Two live demos. One evening that might completely change how you think about R in the age of AI.
Refreshments and networking from 18h00.
Agenda
16h30 – 16h45 | Welcome and News - Handre Williams & Luis de Sousa
16h45 – 17h20 | Handre Williams
Talking to Your Database in Plain English — MCP Clients in R
What if you could query your database conversationally?
This talk explores how R can act as an MCP client — allowing LLMs to interact with databases through natural language while R orchestrates the workflow underneath.
You’ll see:
- How MCP clients work in R
- How LLMs can interact with databases safely
- Where structured workflows still matter
- A live demo of conversational data access

17h20 – 17h55 | Luis de Sousa
Talking to Your Graph in Plain English — MCP + Graphs in R
Graphs are everywhere: relationships, systems, networks, dependencies.
But what happens when AI can explore them conversationally?
This talk explores how MCP and R can expose graph structures to LLMs — turning graph queries, traversals, and analysis into natural language interactions.
You’ll see:
- How graphs can be exposed through MCP workflows
- Conversational querying over connected data
- Where graph reasoning becomes powerful
- Where the abstraction breaks
- A live demo

17h55 – 18h00 | Wrap up, questions & close
18h00 | Refreshments & networking
Continue the conversation in person.

Details
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When: 12 May 2026 @ 16h30 to 18h00 (GMT+2)
Where: Microsoft Campus in Bryanston, South Africa
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/4ffcC3N6T7S2
Keen to speak at a future event? Submit your session abstracts at https://sessionize.com/johannesburg-r-user-group/

Stay connected
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* Website: https://www.rusergroup.co.za
* Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/joburg-r-users-group
* Twitter: https://twitter.com/JHBRUserGroup
* GitHub: https://github.com/rusergroupcoza
* WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/3CeDifS