Cognition

Dear STAG members, We are back with **🚀STAG In-Person Meetup!** **Topic: Calculating the Savings with AI-Assisted Performance Testing Using LoadMagic and JMeter** Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming the way performance testing is performed, but how much time and cost can it actually save? Join us for an engaging and practical session with **[Renard Vardy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/renard-vardy/)**[ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/renard-vardy/)as we explore how AI-assisted automation can dramatically reduce the effort and technical complexity involved in creating and maintaining JMeter performance test scripts. In this session, Renard will demonstrate how **LoadMagic** can automatically correlate a JMeter script, showcasing how AI-assisted scripting can simplify and accelerate this process through a live demonstration. 📅 **Date:** Wednesday, 24 June 2026 🕕 **Event** **Time:** 5.30 PM - 7.30 PM 🕕 **Speaker** **Time:** 6 PM - 7 PM 📍 **Format:** **In-Person Meetup** 📍**Venue**: Level 3, 271 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 **Thanks to our Event Sponsor : [Easygo](https://easygo.io/)** 287 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC 3000 ***Food & drinks will be provided.*** 🤝 **Networking** before and after the event. Join us from **5:30 PM** for pre-event networking and stay after the session until approximately **7:30 PM** to connect with fellow testing professionals. **About the Speaker – Renard Vardy** Renard Vardy is a highly experienced Software Quality and Performance Testing specialist with more than 25 years of industry experience helping organisations improve the reliability, scalability, and performance of critical software systems. Throughout his career, he has worked across government, enterprise, and large-scale digital transformation programs, with a strong focus on Performance Engineering, Test Automation, and emerging AI-driven testing practices. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/renard-vardy/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/renard-vardy/) If you need any further info, please email at [stag@test-fast.com.](http://stag@test-fast.com./) Join [STAG mailing list](https://test-fast.com/community/stag/membership-for-stag) to not miss any notification & also join the [STAG premium membership](https://test-fast.com/community/stag/premium-membership-for-stag-members) today and unlock a world of exclusive benefits designed to propel your career in software test automation to new heights. [Sign up now](https://test-fast.com/community/stag/premium-membership-for-stag-members) and take advantage! Also, join us on: [Subscribe STAG on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRu6aED3NQbkBW5SxfAF_Lg) (for recordings) [Follow STAG LinkedIn Page](https://bit.ly/3x4mWog) [STAG LinkedIn Group](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/6967675/) STAG [WhatsApp channel](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VagLSlQDTkKBtPYfCi1W) We look forward to seeing you there and making this event a memorable and valuable experience for everyone. **Why Attend?** * **Networking Opportunities**: Meet and interact with like-minded professionals in the software test automation field. * **Knowledge Sharing**: Engage in insightful discussions and share your experiences and challenges. * **Collaboration**: Discover potential collaborations and partnerships within the community. Thanks & Regards, **STAG** *{Empowering Test Automation}*

RSVP on our GDG community platform -> https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-melbourne-presents-gdg-melbourne-june26-meetup/ This event is hosted at the Mantel Group Office, with the recording of the talks to be shared afterwards on YouTube if you can't make it. There will be food, networking and some surprise swag!Agenda: 6:20 - Intro 6:30 - Talks 8:00 till late - networking & chat (& drinks optional)Speakers and Talks: Talk 1: Olga Mirensky - Senior Staff Site Reliability Engineer @ Ping Identity Olga and Her Agent Attended AI Engineer Conference. Lessons Learned What happens when you let an experimental Stand-In Agent run loose against a live conference environment? To follow the fast-paced sessions of an AI Engineer conference, I built an agent while at the conference. The agent monitored talks and distilled what actually mattered to me - filtering for high-value signal and turning it into specs ready to implement or articles I should read. I started with a different platform, but pivoted to an ADK agent deployed to GCP Agent Platform. Identical system prompt, different platform architecture, different LLM - completely different outcomes. This talk is a transparent look at what happens when agentic experiments meet reality, including an architectural runaway bug that burned 1M tokens per minute. We look past the hype and focus on the real engineering rigour required to build purposeful agents, with four key takeaways: * The Purpose Filter: Why does your agent care about this specific talk? If it’s not highly unique, you’re just automating noise. * Architecture > Hype: The gap between what you expect and what actually happens at runtime and why. * The Personalised Flywheel: High-signal distillation requires deep context about you, your team, and where you are in your journey. * Clear Goal Setting: Moving from “autonomous” to “purposeful”. In the replay demo I’ll walk through my flywheel showing how the agent filtered the content in real-time, picked up on tech I am interested in, turned it into an implementable spec, and how AI tools can close the loop to further automate the entire implementation, testing, and release cycle. Talk 2: Sahil Bahadur Devkota - Full Stack Developer Beyond LLMs: why RAG is equally important In this talk, I'll break down how RAG works, why is it really important in real-world and it's popular architectural pattern. We'll look at the core components of a RAG pipeline, discuss it's implementation approach, and cover some of the key things to think about when building an AI applications with RAG. Whether you're working with AI or building application that need accurate responses, you'll leave with a practical understanding of when RAG make sense - and when it doesn't. Talk 3: Abhijeet Kumar - AI & Automation | Cloud enthusiast Beyond RAG: Building an Agentic "Second Brain" with FastAPI, pgvector, and Gemini Move beyond static note-taking apps. This talk explores Project NeuralFortress—a custom, Python-built knowledge management system designed to actively synthesize information. We’ll walk through evolving a basic RAG script into an agentic pipeline using FastAPI for routing, Neon PostgreSQL (pgvector) for vector storage, and Google Gemini for cognitive processing. In Development (Sneak Peek): A brief look at experimental features currently in testing to make the system fully autonomous: GraphRAG: Mapping multi-hop relationships beyond standard vector distance. MCP Integration: Native database queries directly from your code editor. Async Watchers: Autonomous background web scraping and data ingestion. How to find us: Doors open at 5:45 PM at our host the Mantel Group, Level 2/452 Flinders St, Melbourne. Message via Meetup or Slack if you are arriving after 6:00, as the lifts won't let you up.  This is an in-person only event. If you have any accessibility requirements, please reach out via the Meetup or Slack to the organiser group to discuss, and we will do our best to help you out. Agenda --- Hosted By Katie Barnett, GDE Android / GDG Organiser Katie is passionate about all things Android. She has taken on a wide variety of challenging projects including in the live event, media and travel space. Her favourite thing is to see someone having a delightful experience using something she has worked on. Katie is very active in the development community, she is a Google Developer Expert for Android, one of the organisers of GDG Melbourne and is a Women Techmakers Ambassador. She frequently runs events, speaks on technical and non-technical topics and enjoys writing blog posts to share her experience with others. Katie is based in Melbourne, Australia but loves to travel the world and outside of tech she enjoys boardgaming and attempting to finish many craft projects. Suesi Tran, Senior Flutter Developer Google Developer Expert in Dart, Flutter & Firebase, Women Techmaker Melbourne ambassador, GDG Melbourne & Flutter Melbourne co-organiser. In short: Flutter is love, and mobile is life. Poornima Sivakumar, GDG Organiser Lovee Jain, GDG Organiser Lovee is a Software Engineer at Prezzee, a GDG Melbourne Organiser and also a Women Techmakers Ambassador. A tech inquisitive philomath, she loves problem solving and solution design. She has worked at a city council where she developed a lot of useful system integrations and while at Prezzee she develops and works on multiple gift card solutions to cater the B2B2C market. Zach Jensz, GDG Organiser Passionate about the web, seamless UX and accessibility. I love attending meetups, find me and come say hi! Ujjawal Raj, GDG Organiser Bramley Turner-Jones, GDG Organiser Yuba Raj (UV) Panta, GDG Organiser Kartik Arora, Android Engineer Google Developer Expert in Android Android Engineer @ Bilue Carolyn Ai Chi Wong, Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-melbourne-presents-gdg-melbourne-june26-meetup/.

Players of all skill levels are welcome to join us at Marché Board Games Cafe in the CBD for a casual night of mahjong - Right in the CBD. We'll start around 6:00pm till we all need to go home :) Our typical session concludes usually around 10:00pm. Please change your RSVP to not going if you're no longer able to attend, 24 hours prior the event. For those that have a record of non attendance without communicating, you will be moved to the waiting list for future events and be contacted directly to confirm that you indeed intend to turn up, at which you will be allotted a spot subject to availability. For more details on the rules of the game, please refer to: http://mahjongtime.com/hong-kong-mahjong-rules.html Marche has been kind enough to offer us a deal to play in their cafe. **⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ Cost ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆** Attendees who have registered for the event on Meetup can play at discounted rates, with the following payments to be made: * **$6 in total per session” to cover cafe costs. Payment of $6 should be made to Marche at the front counter upon notification to the staff member that you are here for the scheduled meetup. There is now no minimum spend on items at the cafe as there were before. The cafes menu can be found here https://mbgcafe.com.au/menu.pdf .

**Would you like to improve at public speaking, in a fun, supportive environment?** Come along to Toastmasters to learn how to write and deliver speeches, and have fun doing it! Please visit [www.maccabitoastmasters.org.au](http://www.maccabitoastmasters.org.au/) and register your interest to attend in person via the **Contact Us** tab on the webpage. We kindly ask that you arrive on time to avoid any disruption to the meeting. **About Maccabi Toastmasters** Maccabi Toastmasters encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to overcome public speaking nerves and to become confident and accomplished speakers! * Would you like to improve your public speaking and presentation skills for work or school? * How about overcoming the anxiety and challenge of providing constructive feedback and performance evaluations at work? * Maybe you're looking to change jobs and would like to brush up on your communication skills and really impress the interviewer? * Are you feeling anxious about an up-and-coming speech you have to give at a special event? A Birthday, Wedding, Anniversary, Bar Mitzvah/Bat Mitzvah, Engagement Party or Corporate function? * Would you like to improve leadership skills? * Maybe you're just looking to have fun by sharing your thoughts and stories in a entertaining and friendly social environment? If you answered YES or MAYBE to any of the above, then you've found the right club! Join us at our next meeting and see how friendly and entertaining our club is. Just come along and have some fun! **What to know before attending a meeting** Please **visit www.maccabitoastmasters.org.au/directions.html** for meeting information and directions. Our website is a great starting place to find out more about the club and what to expect when attending your first meeting. To assist us in running the meetings smoothly, we kindly ask you register your interest at least one day before attending. Please note that video recording of the meeting or speaker is not allowed, with exception granted only by written permission from the club executive committee.

Hello everyone! Join us for an Apache Kafka® meetup on **June 24th from 5:30pm**, hosted by Ippon in Melbourne! The address, agenda, and speaker information can be found below. See you there! **📍Venue**: Ippon Australia Collab Hub Level 8, 607 Bourke Street Melbourne VIC 3000 IMPORTANT: Please note that for security purposes, all attendees are required to sign in at the lobby to get into the building. \*\*\* 🗓 Agenda: * 5:30pm: Doors open * 5:30pm - 6:00pm: Pizza, Drinks, and Networking * 6:00pm - 6:45pm: Usman Khan, Technical Support Engineer, Confluent * 6:45pm - 7:30pm: Additional Q&A & Networking \*\*\* 💡 Speaker: Usman Khan, Technical Support Engineer, Confluent Talk: Kafka Connect On-Prem Troubleshooting Playbook Abstract: When a Kafka Connect sink stops writing, the failure can be hiding in one of several layers, Database, the connector config, the Connect worker, the schema, or the topic itself. In this session, Usman walks through a live Oracle JDBC Sink troubleshooting demo built on the kafka-docker-playground, showing a repeatable classify → fix → verify approach. We cover how to check connector and task state via the REST API and internal Kafka topics, navigate worker logs efficiently, use the Connect admin logging API for dynamic trace logging without restarts, Grafana metrics, manipulate sink offsets for replay. Bio: Usman Khan is a Technical Support Engineer on Confluent's Global Support team, based in Melbourne and covering the APAC region. He specialises in Kafka Connect, working daily with engineering teams to diagnose and resolve connector and framework issues across both on-premises deployments and Confluent Cloud. \*\*\* ***DISCLAIMER*** BY ATTENDING THIS EVENT IN PERSON, you acknowledge that risk includes possible exposure to and illness from infectious diseases including COVID-19, and accept responsibility for this, if it occurs. NOTE: We are unable to cater for any attendees under the age of 18. \*\*\* If you would like to speak or host our next event please let us know! community@[confluent.io](http://confluent.io/)

Since 2019 Amir and David have been catching up for what they term 'shit sandwiches', exchanging professional and personal trials and successes, sharing sympathy and occasional advice. Should I leave my job; how do I handle a difficult report; how do I get buy in; and do you know a good osteo you could recommend, my back is killing me. They’ve have turned our catch up sessions into a live, high stakes gameshow for the product community's amusement. They will be borrowing from the 'who wants to be a millionaire format' and we will share stories that will hopefully inspire people to step up and lead (when required) in this messy and uncertain world we find ourselves in. Get ready to have some fun and hopefully learn a thing or two. Our Speakers: Amir Ansari: With over 25 years’ of experience in the field of design and design leadership, Amir has worked across the private and public sectors, in-house and agency, managing design practitioners and leaders to build long-lasting and impactful products and services. Amir is passionate about democratising the craft of design and sharing my learnings - doing it with a smile and a hug. David Bacon: After graduating from Monash with a Bachelor of Science, David worked as a penguin keeper in England which somehow lead to a career spanning marketing, behaviour change, innovation and human-centred design. David has experience delivering digital products and services in financial services, healthcare, retail, government. He has the goal of weaving humanity into technology. He still dreams about penguins.

The optimum computing machine is a subject many of us have studied. If you were building one how would you design it? First the computer should be able to compute with perfect accuracy on any problem in the universe and produce answers which were always and invariably right. Second the computer would have to be swift, working much more quickly than the problem and process could be vocally articulated. Third the computer would have to be able to handle large numbers of variables and large numbers of problems simultaneously. Forth, the computer would have to be able to evaluate its own data and there would have to remain available within it not only a record of its former conclusions but the evaluations leading to those conclusions. Fifth, the computer would have to be served by a memory bank of nearly infinite capacity and would have to be available to the analytical portion of the computer in the smallest fractions of a second. Sixth, the computer would have to be able to rearrange former conclusions or alter them in the light of new experience. Seventh, the computer would need no exterior director, but would be entirely self determined about its programing guided only by the necessity –value of the solution which it itself would determine. Eight the computer should be self servicing and self arming against present and future damage and would be able to estimate future damage. Ninth the computer should be served by perception by which it could determine necessity –value. Tenth ,the memory bank should store perceptions as perceived ,consecutive with time received with the smallest possible time divisions between perception .It would then store in color-Visio (moving),tone audio (flowing),odor ,tactile and self sensation ,all of them cross –coordinated . Eleventh, for the purposes of solutions, it would have to be able to create new situations and imagine new perceptions hitherto not perceived and should be able to conceive these to itself in terms of tone –audio ,color-visio ,odor, tactile, and self sensation –and should be able to file anything so conceived as imagined ,labeled “memories” Twelfth, the entire machine should be portable. It might be somewhat astonishing at first to conceive such a computer .But the fact is, the machine is in existence .There are billions of them in use today and many ,many more billions have been made and used in the past . In fact you’ve got one .for we are dealing with the human mind. L.RON .HUBBARD Do you want to learn how the mind works?Then do not miss this meetup. RSVP now !!

The discussion topic for this meetup will be identity and whether or not history is a necessary condition for consciousness as Dretske proposed. James

Join us for an informal round-table on some of philosophy's oldest questions lead by Sean Crowley: What is a thing? Where do identities begin and end? Is perspective a limitation on reality, or a fundamental feature of it? And what might it mean to speak of an Absolute beyond all finite distinctions? Drawing on Spinoza, David Bohm, Carlo Rovelli, George Spencer-Brown, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, Sean will give a condensed introduction to Groundless Perspectival Realism — a metaphysical framework that questions absolute intrinsic identity, exploring reality instead through relation, perspective, and wholeness. We will meet at the Captain Melville at 2pm for a 2:15pm start sharp. **Please note the new $5 mandatory donation entry fee** (cash or transfer on day) to help with MeetUp subscription costs, venue costs, etc. There is no pre-requisite preparation necessary, nor a philosophical background, all that is required is a curious mind. These discussions are both a Socrates Cafe style discussion and lively metaphysical dojo, in the spirit of learning and friendly debate, so please feel free to challenge assumptions and be prepared to have your own assumptions challenged. This event is also posted to the Philosophy Circle group. Topics include: * Identity & thinghood * Perspective & observation * Relationality and continuity * Truth & reality * The nature of the Absolute Sean Crowley is the author of the forthcoming book The Infinite Now and host of The Infinite Now with Sean Crowley, exploring metaphysics, consciousness, science, and the philosophical implications of non-duality. Hope to see you there!

🧶 Post-Exam Crochet & Connect Finished exams? Bring your crochet, knitting, embroidery, or other portable craft project and join us for a relaxed evening of making and conversation. Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced maker, this is a welcoming space to unwind, meet new people, share ideas, and spend some creative time together after a busy semester. Bring your current project, grab a seat, and enjoy a cozy, low-pressure gathering with fellow crafters. 📅 Thursday 25 June 🕔 5:00pm – 6:30pm All skill levels welcome.

Hi budding Stoics, This is our monthly in-person session (the 4th Saturday of every month) We will be discussing a podcast. Link can be found below. Philosophize This! Podcast episode 17 [https://www.philosophizethis.org/podcast/plotinus-a-period-of-transition-38z8d](https://www.philosophizethis.org/podcast/plotinus-a-period-of-transition-38z8d) We will meet outside KereKere Green cafe inn Fitzroy Gardens. If weather is poor we can retreat into the cafe. Feel free to bring a picnic blanket and snack. NEW TO STOICISM New faces are always welcome. This month we will be discussing the podcast Philosophize This! Episode 19: Three Islamic Truth Can be found on the Philosophize This! website ( https://www.philosophizethis.org/podcast/episode-19-three-islamic-truths-58j6g ), Spotify, YouTube Music, or other places you listen to podcasts

How the Mind is making the Body Ill! What the mind is doing to the body. (yours) Did you know that about 70 percent of the physician's current roster of diseases fall into the category of psychosomatic illness? Psychosomatic Illnesses are those which have a mental origin but are nevertheless organic. Psycho, of course, means mind and somatic refers to body; the term psychosomatic means the mind making the body ill or illnesses which have been created physically within the body by derangement of the mind. At today's meetup you are able to learn why is it that some people recover promptly from illness, trauma or accidents whilst others receiving the very same treatments do so slowly, not at all or relapse. When one desires to handle any unwanted condition in life the mind plays a crucial role. Why is it then that all to many confess they know very little about the mind or anything at all. The mind and the problem of psychosomatic illness are entirely embraced by Dianetics (the Modern Science of Mental Health ) and by Dianetics technique. https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/5/a/1/600_462605537.jpeg Dianetics means: What the mind is doing to the body. Trough the application of Dianetics technique you will be able to confirm that when one resolves the problem of human aberration (any deviation or departure from rationality) you naturaly get great response all around. (Not just body related) Bizarre aches and pains in various portions of the body are generally psychosomatic. Migraine headaches are psychosomatic. Arthritis, dermatitis, allergies, asthma some coronary difficulties, eye trouble, bursitis, ulcers, sinusitis, etc., form a very small section of the psychosomatic catalog. Therefore the catalog of ills affected by Dianetics technique is very long. Dianetics is something that anyone can use to help improve himself and his fellows. My own truth is that the hidden source of all psychosomatic ills and human aberration has been discovered and accurate skills have been developed for their handling. I also know that many other people have experienced this to be true. Dianetics is a path to knowing how to know, unlocking the gates to be better future for yourself or others you love or are responsible for. Only by reading the Dianetics book (or watching the DVD) in full can one get an understanding of the workings of the mind and the potential merits that applying Dianetics technique yourself may have for you. Amherst College Political Science Professor, Dr Frederick L. Schuman declaration in the New York times: "History has become a race between Dianetics and catastrophe. Dianetics will win, if enough people are challenged in time to understand it" Your own investigation into Dianetics The Modern Science of Mental Health is prudent and welcomed. It's after all very sensible to investigate personally why this explosive bestseller book has sold more copies than any other book in its category and is the most influential book ever written about the mind. The above are some of my own opinions, experiences, and observations. As always results obtained by the individual are up to him. No promises are made by me or anyone or anybody. Any technique no matter how good does not work for people that do not want to change, are not interested or have other agendas. Those that do not fall into those categories tend to do very well and flourish and prosper because of it. Truth is not what people say it is. it is what it is. All People of goodwill are welcome. Contact us if today's date or time do not suit your schedule. If one can not make it to our meetup class then it's recommended you get yourself a copy of the Dianetics book or DVD by contacting the event organizer. Know yourself Know Life!. Tanja and Michel

**How to take control of your subconscious and harness its power!** Join us for an eye-opening lecture where the speaker will break down complex ideas in a clear and practical way. You’ll gain insights into: ✅ The true definition of the subconscious ✅ How it generates unwanted emotions ✅ Its real purpose and function ✅ What determines the pressure it exerts on you And the most important topic: **How do you take control of your subconscious!** But this isn’t just another lecture where you sit and listen passively. It’s interactive and engaging—you can ask questions at any time. 📅 Reserve your spot now! Seats are limited, so don’t wait too long to sign up. Location: 1266 Dublin Rd, Columbus, OH 43215 Hosted by the Hubbard Dianetics Foundation

**Men of Unity** is a safe, welcoming space for men to connect, share, and grow together. In this circle, we explore what it means to live with purpose, integrity, and spiritual awareness in today’s world. Through open dialogue, reflection, and mutual support, we learn to balance strength with compassion, confidence with humility, and action with mindfulness. Whether you’re seeking deeper spiritual connection, personal clarity, or simply a supportive brotherhood, this group invites you to bring your authentic self and grow in community. This week the Men's of Group will meet at Scrambler's - the North Hamilton Road location: 5729 North Hamilton Road Columbus, 43230

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

Do **NOT** sign up to this one and sign-up at https://www.meetup.com/columbusjs/events/313386504/ ======================================= A hand tracker gives you joints, not a gesture. This talk shows how you get from raw joints to a "thumbs-up" in Unity: the pipeline that cleans up the data, how a gesture becomes a few 0-to-1 values within tolerance, and why orientation matters as much as finger shape. Includes a live demo of tuning gesture thresholds. Food and drinks will be available. **LOCATION:** 6515 Longshore Loop, Suite 300, Dublin, OH 43017 **FREE PARKING:** 6725 Longshore Street, Dublin, OH 43017

Why are we unhappy? Where does emotional pain come from? Studies show that people who suffer from long-term emotional pain have painful experiences in their lives that were never fully resolved in their mind. In other words, there were issues in the past that were not completely dealt with. This can include abuse in childhood, breakups, divorce, death of a loved one, to name a few. How do you know whether you have gotten over something painful? Here is an easy test: Do you still have attention on what had happened to you? For instance, do you still find yourself thinking about something painful that you went through? If you are, then you are not over it. In fact, in severe cases, people find themselves playing a "tape" in their mind over and over again. So how do you heal from your past? How do you stop the "tape" playing in your mind? In this meeting, you will learn a technique to help you with that. Come join us! Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is created by the Dianetics and Scientology life improvement center.

At Unity of Columbus, our Youth and Family Ministry nurtures the spiritual growth of children and families through love, joy, and practical spiritual teachings. Each Sunday, children explore timeless spiritual principles through stories, creative activities, music, and group sharing in a safe and welcoming environment. Our program encourages children to discover their own inner light, express kindness, and develop a personal connection with God. Together, we celebrate diversity, cultivate understanding, and inspire each child to live with purpose and compassion. Parents and families are invited to join in this uplifting journey of learning, laughter, and spiritual connection.

Most people still use AI like a search box: type one question, get one answer, repeat. But the next step is AI agents: systems that can take a goal, break it into steps, use tools, remember context, and produce useful work for a human to review. In this beginner-friendly session, we’ll demystify what AI agents actually are — without hype or jargon. We’ll walk through practical examples of how agents can help with research, planning, writing, coding, operations, and personal productivity. We’ll cover: * What makes an AI “agent” instead of just a chatbot * How agents break tasks into steps * Where agents are genuinely useful today * Where they fail, hallucinate, or need human review * How to design simple AI workflows for your own work * A live demo of an AI agent-style workflow from start to finish No coding experience required. This is for anyone who wants to understand where AI tools are going and how to use them more effectively right now. LOGISTICS AND PARKING: The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks! The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.