AI & Tech Talks #14 - AI predictions fact-check and LLMs trained on textbooks

# AI & Tech Talks #14

Join us for a special edition of the AI & Tech Talks meetup, co-hosted by Pearson and Business Link!

This time, we're excited to welcome colleagues from the United States and Spain who will be joining us in Poznań for an evening dedicated to the realities of AI innovation.

Under the theme "AI Reality Check: From Prediction to Practice," we'll explore how AI is reshaping software engineering and how Pearson is leveraging its expertise in learning science and proprietary content to build differentiated AI-powered solutions.

Expect inspiring talks from industry experts, engaging discussions with the local tech community, and networking over pizza. Whether you're a developer, data scientist, AI enthusiast, researcher, student, or simply curious about the latest trends in technology, we'd love to see you there.
Come for the knowledge, stay for the conversations, and connect with fellow tech enthusiasts from Poznań and beyond!

📢 Please note: This time, the entire event will be conducted in English.

📅 27 October 2026
⏰ 18:00
📍 Poznań, Nowy Rynek (Business Link), ul. Wierzbięcice 1A (Building E, 1st floor)

AGENDA:

Chris McAvoy
Head of Technology Strategy and Architecture, Pearson
I Made a Bunch of Predictions a Few Months Ago. Did They Come True?

Earlier this year, Chris shared his vision for AI-centric engineering and made a number of predictions about how AI would reshape software development. In this follow-up session, he will revisit those predictions and compare them with what actually happened. From AI coding assistants and agentic workflows to changing developer practices and enterprise adoption, he'll explore where the industry exceeded expectations, where the hype fell short, and which trends are likely to shape the next phase of AI-powered engineering.

Jon Perez Etxebarria
Lead Specialist, AI Solutions Architect, Pearson
Pearson IP for Training LLMs

What happens when proprietary educational content meets modern AI? In this session, Jon will explore how Pearson leverages its intellectual property and learning science expertise to influence the behavior of large language models through fine-tuning and other model adaptation techniques. He'll also discuss how these capabilities can be extended through tool calling, creating AI systems that combine Pearson's unique assets with the power of foundation models. The session will highlight how Pearson's content and expertise can be used to build differentiated AI-powered learning solutions that stand out in an increasingly competitive AI landscape.

Derek Fay
Analytics & Data Science Leader, Pearson
The Missing Link Between AI Innovation and Learning Impact

AI is rapidly expanding what we can build in education, but technical innovation does not automatically translate into meaningful learning outcomes. How do we know whether AI-enabled learning experiences actually support learning, and what evidence would justify those conclusions? In this session, Derek will explore how principles from Evidence-Centered Design (ECD) can help connect AI capabilities to meaningful educational outcomes, offering a framework for designing, evaluating, and improving learning experiences so that they have real impact.

James Kuhlke
Principal Solutions Architect, AWS
Your AI Is Only as Smart as Your Data Knows How to Connect

RAG gets your AI retrieving, but retrieval alone can’t tell how things connect or whether an answer holds up. In this 15-minute session, James will explain why embeddings, knowledge graphs (GraphRAG), and ontologies solve different problems, and how combining them with AWS data services like Amazon S3 Vectors turns an AI that sounds right into one you can actually trust. You’ll also get a simple mental model for deciding when plain RAG is enough, when GraphRAG earns its keep, and when ontologies become essential.

Networking & Pizza
Stay with us to chat, share your ideas, meet fellow tech enthusiasts, and enjoy some pizza. After all, what's better than good conversations about technology and a slice of pizza?

SEE YA THERE!
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Limited number of seats available.
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