Crafting LLM Applications: Design, Build, and Evaluate & Building an AI App

Network, learn, ask a question, meet other folks - these are all things that happen at user group events. These events are a really great opportunity to socialise in an informal learning experience.

Remember to tell your friends and the people you work with; make sure you register as soon as you can.

In-Person only event. Not being recorded.

17:45 – 18:00 Intro and updates
18:00 – 19:00 Shubhangi Goyal : Crafting LLM Applications: Design, Build, and Evaluate
Large Language Models (LLMs) have revolutionised how applications are designed, offering capabilities such as natural language understanding, content generation, and conversational engagement. Building LLM-powered applications involves strategic design to leverage these capabilities effectively, focusing on context-awareness, domain-specific fine-tuning, and user-centred workflows. Integrating APIs, data pipelines, and feedback loops during development ensures that the application evolves and adapts to user needs, enhancing performance over time.

A critical aspect of LLM application development is response evaluation, which ensures outputs are accurate, coherent, and ethically aligned. Employing techniques like automated scoring, human-in-the-loop feedback, and real-world testing helps refine responses and maintain quality. Addressing challenges such as bias, and alignment with organizational goals ensures that LLM applications are not only functional but also trustworthy. This comprehensive approach to design, development, and evaluation allows organizations to build impactful LLM applications that deliver meaningful interactions across various use cases.

19:00 – 19:15 Break & Pizza
19:15 – 20:15 Atul Thakor : Going from 0 to 50k users in 5 months, An AI start up with zero marketing.
This isn’t theory or productivity p*rn. If you want an insight into the rollercoaster world of startups, an example of rapid tech growth, and the technology behind it, then this is for you. No prior AI knowledge or technical background is needed – everything will be explained in plain English.
This talk shares the journey of building an app to solve a problem for the speaker's own children, only to see it explode in popularity – growing locally, nationally, and then globally at speed.
You'll learn about:

• Navigating Hyper-Growth: The unique challenges encountered when scaling unexpectedly fast.
• Why No One AI is Best: Understanding the limitations and strengths of different models.
• Giving Backend Developers Superpowers: Exploring 'vibe coding' and its implications.
• Why Multi-Agent is the Future: Understanding how to build a best-of-breed solution.

This session blends storytelling with practical, technical perspectives drawn from direct experience in building, scaling, and adapting AI technology in the real world.