Functional World

Join Kannupriya Kalra, org admin and mentor for Google Summer of Code with Scala Center, as she takes us on a deep dive into the world of Large Language Models - this time, through a Scala lens. While most AI tooling is built around Python, this talk makes the case for a better, type-safe alternative: Scala.

Discover how typed functional programming can unlock more reliable and maintainable LLM-powered applications. Learn from Kannupriya’s experience as the co-creator of LLM4S, the first Scala-first AI toolkit, and see how concepts like zero-shot prompting and agentic workflows come to life in a strongly-typed ecosystem.
Whether you're curious about building AI in Scala or looking for your next open-source project, this talk is your gateway to smarter, safer, and more scalable AI development.

What you’ll learn:

• Why Scala is a strong alternative to Python for LLM development
• Key concepts like zero-shot prompting and agentic feedback loops
• How type safety improves AI reliability
• A hands-on look at LLM4S, Scala’s own LLM framework
• Lessons from the Python ecosystem and how Scala compares
• Ways to contribute, collaborate, and grow with the Scala AI community

Ready to teach LLMs some functional discipline? Join us! 😉

Join us for a deep dive into modern Scala build tooling with none other than Li Haoyi, MIT graduate, open source powerhouse, and seasoned engineer behind critical infrastructure at companies like Dropbox and Databricks. Known for the widely-used "com-lihaoyi" suite of OSS Scala projects, Li brings unmatched JVM expertise and real-world experience in building everything from programming languages to high-performance distributed systems.

In his talk, “Better Scala Builds with the Mill Build Tool,” Li will showcase how Mill rethinks the Scala build process to be faster, simpler, and more scalable than SBT. Through live-coding and practical examples, you’ll get a hands-on look at how Mill can streamline your development workflow—making your build files easier to write, navigate, and understand. Whether you're working on a hobby project or wrangling a sprawling codebase, this session will leave you rethinking what a Scala build tool should be.