Computer Science

**Discussion overview:** AI can write essays, generate art, and even build programs in seconds. As algorithms take over the office, many of us fear the pressure to become hyper-efficient machines just to survive. But is trying to beat AI at its own game a losing battle? Or is doubling down on our flawed, emotional human traits our best defense? Whether you're a creative, a young professional, or just trying to navigate a digital world, let's discuss what makes us irreplaceable... 1\. 🤖 **Beat the Machine:** Should we learn to work like AI, or focus on skills AI can never copy? 2\. 🎨 **The Creative Clone:** Can algorithms ever replicate true artistic vision and human empathy? 3\. 🥂 **Return on Investment:** Will AI force us to value real human connection over KPIs? *Join us for a relaxed group conversation where we explore real life, grey areas, and how our different cultures and backgrounds shape our views about key topics.* *Expect real talk, no judgment, and a chance to learn how others see it.* **\*Come for the discussion, stay for the friendships. Our weekly discussion series brings together thoughtful people for honest conversations on relationships, life, and society - with warm social vibes before and after.\*** **WHAT TO EXPECT:** * Good vibes only: we chat big topics in a chill, respectful way. No arguing - just open-minded exchange. * We warm up with casual socializing (come solo or with friends!) * The topic starts around 7:45/8pm, wraps around 9:30. * 🍕 There's pizza, drinks, milkshakes and snacks available at the bar (incl plant-based options) * And most people stay until late for drinks and mingling! **DISCUSSION FORMAT:** **\- Our group conversations are open and flexible\! There is a very soft guided flow to ensure we focus on the key questions\, and to ensure that everyone gets a balanced opportunity to speak\.** \- We rotate groups intentionally during the discussion so everyone gets to meet a wider mix of people and perspectives\. \- After the structured part\, you’re free to mix and mingle with anyone\. **Here's a typical discussion flow, but we may adjust this depending on the turnout:** \- Introductions and initial thoughts *(\~5 mins).* \- Group breakouts per question *(\~20 mins x 3).* \- Final round of opinions *(\~10 mins)*. \- Mix and mingle\, make new friends\, get drinks etc *(\~until late)* **Rules & etiquette:** 1\. Debate the topic\, not the participants \- no personal attacks please\. 2\. No phones\, no interrupting\, no bystanding\. 3\. Always follow the moderator/host instructions and guidelines\. **WHAT IS WORLD CITIZENS?** We're one of London's longest-running and largest communities. Since 2012 we run socials, cultural activities and stimulating discussions to foster meaningful exchange and learning among London's global professionals. They are inspired by MUN (Model United Nations) and salon discussions and offer a more relaxed and social evening version. **LOCATION DETAILS** What: Discussion session followed by social/networking When: Tuesday, 7:30pm until late. Where: Curzon Aldgate (bar area), 2 Canter Way, E1 8PS Closest stations: Aldgate East, Aldgate, Tower Hill/Gateway Cost: Pay for your own meals or drinks Hosts: We have a rotating team and the actual host of each event varies. Our regular members can also help you out with basic matters. *NOTE: like most guests, our volunteer hosts join after work and may arrive after the start time. If you are punctual or earlier than our hosts, we highly appreciate this! Please feel free to start socializing already and/or get something to eat or drink - that’s the point of our events anyway! Our regular members can also help you out with any basic matters.* **\*Our other weekly events\*** \- Friday evening socials every week \- Saturday afternoon cafe in Chelsea \- Canary Wharf socials every other Wednesday \- Outdoor fun \(hiking\, kayaking\, etc\) every weekend \- Dining\, cultural and travel activities on\-demand **JOIN OUR TEAM!** We're all volunteers, so if you enjoy organizing activities or events in your spare time, while meeting great people every week, send a message to our team account "TP"! **DISCLAIMER** We are a 100% volunteer-run team. Though we have high standards in planning, this is a private informal activity so we cannot be liable for any damage or inconvenience. However, we put safety and comfort first. We take all complaints seriously, and take severe action against any harassment, verbal or non-verbal, and anti-social behaviour, towards our guests or team members. We collaborate with the police when needed. We take photos and videos which may include you to help promote the community in line with GDPR Data Protection law, as well as stock photos from Pexels or Unsplash. We may restrict or prioritize guests at our own discretion for safety, quality and logistics reasons. While our team's decisions may not be perfect we ask that you follow our decisions first and raise any disputes to discuss with us later and privately. By attending you understand, agree with and respect all terms of this disclaimer.

This week we'll discuss the third chapter of [The Science of Can and Can't](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Science-Can-Cant-Physicists-Counterfactuals/dp/0241310946/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1YFBGHPLNB4NO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YoSj1NdZXBPKK81RKKOjBA.ga2ZS1YEzf0cR13hyK4BpEHaXtvmjSfEhGZemtNXrLU&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+science+of+can+and+can%27t&qid=1779107463&sprefix=the+science+of+can+and+can%27t%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-1), by Chiara Marletto, co-developer of Constructor Theory alongside David Deutsch. A big theme of the book is counterfactuals - statements about what *could* happen, not just what *does* happen. Chiara argues that science has historically struggled to incorporate these rigorously, even though they’re central to explanations, computation, biology, knowledge, and agency. If this is your first time attending we meet in the William Morris pub in Hammersmith - look for people with copies of the book. Please read the chapter before attending.

Join Docker and Black Duck for an evening meetup! Register directly at [https://luma.com/o9i3yqns](https://luma.com/o9i3yqns) London's AI week just got an extra night and this one's about what happens after the demo. ​Join Docker and Black Duck for an evening built around the questions developers are actually wrestling with: How do you ship AI-powered applications without introducing new security risks? What does responsible AI tooling look like at the container and pipeline level? And what does "production-ready" actually mean in 2026? ​ We're gathering the week of LeadDev London and AI DevCon, so expect a room full of engineers and technical leaders who are deep in the work — not just talking about AI, but building with it and responsible for securing it. ​**On the agenda:** * ​6:30PM Doors Open * ​6:30PM - 7:30PM Light bites, drinks, networking * ​7:30PM Talk #1: **Oleg Šelajev, Docker** * ​8:00PM Talk #2: **Emmanuel Gonzalez Carmona, Black Duck** * ​8:30PM - 9:30PM Light bites, drinks, networking ​Doors open at 6:30 PM. Space is capped at 50 - register to hold your spot. ​Please register with your company email if possible. If you are approved, you will receive your confirmation along with the event location.

**Welcome to NextGen Science – Medicine & Innovation Edition!** Are you shaping the future of medicine, biotech, pharma, or life sciences? Join a relaxed evening with innovators, researchers, founders, and industry leaders across medtech, biopharma, and clinical research. If you're driving change or want to this is your space to connect, share ideas, and spark new opportunities. 📍 **Venue: The Sycamore, Holborn** A modern, relaxed venue in central London, just steps from Holborn station. Perfect for after-work networking, drinks, and great conversations. 📅 **Event Schedule** **18:30 – 19:00** \| Welcome & Warm intro **19:00 – 19:30** \| Open Networking **19:30 – 21:30** \| Informal Networking \(no pitches\, no pressure\) 💡 **Why Attend?** Connect with biotech, pharma, and life sciences professionals, explore opportunities, and exchange ideas in a relaxed networking setting. 👥 **Who Should Attend** Founders, researchers, investors, healthcare innovators, and professionals looking to grow their network. **🎟 Tickets & Entry:** To avoid the venue getting overcrowded and ensure everyone enjoys an amazing night, we've introduced a small ticket price to keep things running smoothly. **Limited spots!** register now and follow for future events. 📸 **Photos and videos:** may be taken for promotional purposes. 🔗 \*\*Join our WhatsApp group to connect before and after the event:\*\*👉 [https://chat.whatsapp.com/GisOCaIiMeKEehV5Lv7qxg](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GisOCaIiMeKEehV5Lv7qxg "https://chat.whatsapp.com/GisOCaIiMeKEehV5Lv7qxg")

**Important:** Register on the [event website](https://www.aicamp.ai/event/eventdetails/W2026060201) is required for admission. **RSVP on meetup is turned off** Scale AI with confidence— Learn directly from industry experts and power builders at this free technical event featuring real-world talks and hands-on workshops designed to move your AI workloads from experiment to production. **What to expect:** * Community-Led Talks: Learn real-world lessons, proven architectures, and scaling patterns. * Direct Expert Access: Engage directly with Ray’s creators and builders to get answers, insights, and best practices for productionizing AI. * Hands-on Workshops: Accelerate your path to production with an instructor-led Ray workshop * Peer Networking: Connect with experienced engineers and AI teams and learn from shared experiences. **Agenda** * 9:00AM - 9:30AM Registration + Networking * 9:30AM - 10:15AM Opening Keynote * 10:15AM - 12:30PM Ray User Talks * 12:30PM - 1:30PM Expo hall: Lunch and Networking * 1:30PM - 5:00PM Hands-on Workshop: Building Distributed AI with Ray * 2:00PM - 3:15PM Future of Ray: Technical Roundtable (Invite-only) * 5:00PM - 6:30PM Expo hall: Happy Hour and Networking **Venue:** Convene 200 Aldersgate, St Paul, London **Sponsors:** AWS, CoreWeave, Nebius

**DUE TO LIMITED SPACE PLEASE ONLY RSVP IF ATTENDING. IF NO LONGER ATTENDING PLEASE UPDATE YOUR RSVP.** Join us in the upstairs room of the Grafton Pub in Camden for another writing-focused session. Bring whatever you’re working on, whether you’re outlining a new idea or deep into your current WIP. This is a space for writers to connect, share ideas, and find inspiration. Whether you’re looking for feedback, want to brainstorm with others, or simply need a quiet place to write, our goal is to build a supportive and collaborative community for sci-fi and fantasy authors at all stages of their journey. Writing will start at 6:30, but feel free to arrive and leave at your own convenience! We will end at 8:30pm, but the pub is open till 11pm so after it ends people can mingle or go home as they please. **While we encourage collaboration and occasional chat, we ask everyone to be mindful of those focused on writing until 8pm.** **Also please support the venue by buying food or drink from the pub!**

**Architecture of Intellect: How Real Organisations Build and Use AI** RSVP 🔗 https://luma.com/mg2wwmom **Igor Ageev** brings 25+ years of building technology inside banks and fintechs. He will walk through what it actually looks like to deploy AI in regulated environments, the architectural decisions, the constraints you cannot ignore, and the places where even well-designed systems quietly fall apart. **Sergey Ignatov**, one of the creators of GoLand and DataGrip at JetBrains, will talk about what happens when AI agents become a serious part of how developers work. He will cover ACP (Agent Client Protocol) and what building that kind of standard looks like from the inside, including how intelligent tooling scales across real teams and codebases. Vlad Breus, Principal Data Scientist at SoundCloud, will cover where ML projects fail in production, where analytics misleads, and what better decision-making actually looks like in practice. **Ezra Citron** from Revolut's experimentation platform will follow with a short lightning talk on how rigorous A/B testing keeps AI systems grounded in real impact rather than nice demos. As always, the talks will be followed by an open Q&A and informal networking with senior engineers, architects, data and ML practitioners, and technical founders from across London. 🤝 📅 Date: 2 June 2026 🕕 Time: 6:45 PM (doors open at 6:00 PM) 📍 Venue: Revolut, 30 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HX https://maps.app.goo.gl/HSo3GmyTQtLTwYaG7

This is a **theatre** and **livestream** talk from the **Royal Institution of Great Britain.** Join a team of forensic scientists for an immersive, demo-filled event taking us through the process of analysing and solving a crime, plus a look at the new technology changing the way DNA is analysed. **ADVANCE BOOKING AND PAYMENT IS REQUIRED FOR THIS TALK.** **More details and booking instructions on the RI web site:** **[https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/forensics-how-solve-crime](https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/forensics-how-solve-crime)** **SUMMARY** We are used to media depictions of forensic science, but what does the real process look like? And how are new technologies changing the face of modern forensics? In this unique event, a team of forensic specialists from around the UK will come together to guide you through a fictional case. Discover how the **SCAnDi** project could revolutionise the world of forensics by allowing scientists to trace DNA from a single cell, and therefore “unmix” the messy DNA profiles of multiple people often found at crime scenes. Scientific investigation of a crime involves a multidisciplinary team, and through the use of intricate recreation crime scenes and demonstrations, this event will explore how these individuals can come together to uncover crucial evidence. Ranging from DNA analysis to soil science, you'll have the chance to discover real forensic science used to solve crimes. **This event will cover sensitive material which some may find upsetting, including physical violence, sexual assault, death and suicide. It is suitable for those aged 16+.** This is a theatre and livestream event for an adult audience, where the speakers and audience in our Theatre are joined by our audience online. **The livestream will go live around 7.25pm, and the talk will begin at 7.30pm. If you register but miss the livestream, the video will be available to you via the same link for two weeks after the event date.** For more information on livestreams, see the information below, or [visit our FAQs page](https://www.rigb.org/whats/faqs-ri-livestreams). Please use the event link you have been provided with. By booking to attend events at the Royal Institution, you confirm that you have read and accept the Ri's [event terms and conditions](https://www.rigb.org/terms-and-conditions). You also agree to abide by [our code of conduct](https://www.rigb.org/about-us/how-were-run/our-code-conduct-ri-visitors), and help to create a great experience for yourself and your fellow participants.

PyData London 2026 brings together data scientists, engineers, and researchers from around the world for three days of insightful talks, tutorials, and community connection. Hosted in one of Europe’s leading tech hubs, the event highlights the latest developments in Python, machine learning, and data science. Attendees can expect a mix of cutting-edge research, real-world applications, and opportunities to network with industry leaders. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, PyData London offers something for every level of the data science community. **THIS IS NOT A TICKET- TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED ON CONFERENCE WEBSITE.** https://pydata.org/london2026

**We're back at Salisbury House for our summer London Airflow Meetup! Join fellow members of the data engineering community for an evening of engaging talks, great food and drinks, and exclusive swag!** **PRESENTATIONS** ***Talk #1: The Orchestration Layer: A Blueprint for Scaling Dynamic DAGs with Integrated Data Quality Gates*** * **Speaker**: [Vasudev Maduri](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasudevmaduri/), Staff Data Engineer, Admiral Group Plc Ensuring high-quality data, accuracy, completeness, and schema validity is essential for building data trust. However, scaling data quality checks across diverse datasets often leads to duplicated boilerplate Python code, human error, and a massive bottleneck for Data Engineering teams. In this talk, we’ll explore how to shift data quality from a backlog of tech debt into an automated, self-serve developer experience directly tied to Airflow. We will demonstrate how to build a multi-faceted data observability framework that empowers end-user teams to define their own DQ rules without writing any Python code. By hiding complex Airflow code, users simply select their parameters—YAML configurations that instantly translate into fully dynamic, end-to-end DAGs, including in-flight data quality gates. The core of this session focuses on the technical implementation of integrated DQ checks that live directly *inside* the generated pipelines. You’ll learn how this metadata-driven approach enables a "shift-left" strategy for data observability, automatically enforcing data contracts and routing alerts without manual engineering intervention. ***Talk #2: Self-healing Data Pipelines in Airflow*** * **Speaker**: [Nilesh Khandalkar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nileshskhandalkar/), Senior Manager, Capgemini Modern data pipelines remain largely reactive—failures trigger alerts, manual retries, and ongoing operational overhead for engineering teams. As systems scale, this approach introduces fragility, delays, and growing complexity in maintaining reliable workflows. This session explores how to design self-healing data pipelines in Airflow using practical patterns such as intelligent retries, conditional branching, and targeted recovery mechanisms. Real-world failure scenarios are used to illustrate how pipelines can detect issues, trigger remediation steps, and resume execution without full restarts or human intervention. The session also looks ahead to how AI-assisted anomaly detection can further enhance these systems by identifying unexpected patterns and enabling more proactive, resilient data workflows. ***Talk #3: What We Got Right (and Wrong) Building a 50-Source Data Platform on Airflow*** * **Speaker**: [Arnaud Caldow](https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnaud-caldow-384423142/), Senior Data Engineer at Collibra Collibra helps enterprises govern their data, but how does Collibra's own data team manage the data that powers the business? The answer is an Airflow-based platform that stitches together dlt, dbt, Kubernetes and Collibra's own product for governance -- all orchestrated through 87 DAGs serving 12 business domains. This talk traces a data point's journey through the stack: from API extraction via dlt pipelines running inside KubernetesPodOperator pods, through a layered dbt architecture where platform engineers standardize data and analysts build business models on top, into analytics outputs that serve multiple business teams, and finally back into Collibra Data Governance via reverse-ETL integration DAGs. Along the way, I'll share the patterns that emerged from operating this at scale: how we evolved from one-off custom pipelines to a reproducible framework that's documented well enough for AI subagents (or a new hire) to generate models from scratch, how our own Pod Operators let us test feature branches on shared environments, and how we're leveraging that same mechanism to migrate from Redshift to BigQuery (and from Airflow 2 to Airflow 3) without downtime. Behind the scenes, a 1Password-backed pipeline diffs credential hashes nightly, catching rotations before they break a DAG. **AGENDA** * **5:30-6 PM:** Arrivals, networking, food & drinks * **6-7:45PM:** Presentations * **7:45-8PM:** Networking

Hey hey London folks 👋 We’re excited to kick off a new chapter for our London meetup community! React Advanced London is evolving into Web Engineering London — expanding beyond React to cover the broader world of modern web engineering, from frontend architecture and full-stack systems to AI-powered developer workflows. Join us on **June 3** for the first edition of the new series 🚀 **📍Location:** 20 Farringdon Road EC1M 3HE, Clerkenwell. **🗣 Call for Proposals** Have an idea or story to share? Submit your talk proposal through our [CFP form](https://forms.gle/rCiQ8Y4jajiC8AHMA) and take the stage at one of our upcoming meetups! **🤝 Organized by** This event made possible thanks to the support from [AI Coding Summit](https://aicodingsummit.com/) and [React Advanced London](https://reactadvanced.com/) organizers – [GitNation](https://portal.gitnation.org/). **🤝 Sponsored by** Huge thanks to our friends [Depop](https://www.depop.com/)! Depop is a circular fashion marketplace where anyone can buy, sell and discover desirable, affordable secondhand fashion. Since Depop was founded in 2011, our community of 43M registered users has helped popularise preloved fashion and drive forward resale culture, globally. Explore open opportunities here: [https://depopcareers.com/](https://depopcareers.com/) **🤝 Want to support our community?** We’re looking for venue partners and sponsors for future meetups. Let’s discuss collaboration — [contact us!](https://forms.gle/zWYxsanfbhV64dEr5) **🕑 Event Schedule** 18:00 - Doors open - snacks, beer, socialization 18:30 - Opening notes **18:40 - Combating On-Platform Phishing at Scale -** **[James McGill](https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mcgill-0a997038/)** **19:05 - Your Agent Is an Infinite Canvas -** **[RL Nabors](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nearestnabors/)** 19:30 - Breaks **19.45 - An Instant Backend for the Open Web - [Daniel Roe](https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-roe/)** **20:10 - Networking, Open Mic Lightning Talks** Mingle until 21:00 pm — **👍 Code of Conduct** By registering for this event you agree to comply with our [CoC](https://gitnation.com/coc) **📩 Contact** [events@gitnation.org](mailto:events@gitnation.org) [https://twitter.com/ReactAdvanced](https://twitter.com/ReactAdvanced) [http://youtube.com/ReactConferences](http://youtube.com/ReactConferences) [https://bsky.app/profile/reactadvanced.gitnation.org](https://bsky.app/profile/reactadvanced.gitnation.org)

**NOTE: PLEASE READ THE DESCRIPTION BELOW FOR REGISTRATION:** **OWASP AI Security Summit** is taking place at **Infosecurity Europe 2026** on **Thursday, 4 June 2026 at ExCeL London** **Location inside Excel:** South Gallery Rooms 18 & 19 This summit brings together security leaders, researchers, and enterprise practitioners to discuss the latest developments in GenAI and Agentic AI security — including emerging threats, governance, incident response, real-world implementation lessons, and the evolving OWASP guidance shaping the industry. Sample sessions include: • The State of GenAI: Key Trends and OWASP GenAI Security Project • Beyond the Top 10: The Next Chapter of the Agentic Security Initiative • Agentic Security at Microsoft: Strategy, Implementation, and Lessons Learned • Implementing the Agentic Top 10 at AWS • 22 Seconds to Contain: Rewriting IR for Agents • Top 10 for LLMs Update • No Room for Hype: Securing Agentic AI Inside a UK Bank Featured speakers and contributors include OWASP GenAI Security initiative leaders and experts from: Microsoft, AWS, Lloyds Banking Group, OWASP, Deep Cyber, Zenity, and more. **Location inside Excel:** South Gallery Rooms 18 & 19 **REGISTER TO ATTEND HERE** **Register for Infosecurity Europe to attend the summit -** use promo code **OWASP** for a free pass: [https://www.infosecurityeurope.com/en-gb/visit/owasp-gen-ai-security-summit.html](https://www.infosecurityeurope.com/en-gb/visit/owasp-gen-ai-security-summit.html)

Ramon explores agentic Bitcoin payments and the challanges of managing multiple artificial agents to execute micropayments. [TICKETS](https://btcpay.btc.aw/apps/rvvVwGSSSiJ7UgtzjmBdxy1Uq6a/pos) Promotional activities related to altcoins not permitted. No unsolicited photograhy. Peace and love.

QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry. This is a ticketed event please register here: https://www.qaorthehwy.com/ Featured Keynote Speakers: **Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\. **Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/

We are bringing Microsoft Build sessions to Columbus Ohio! The Central Ohio Azure Meetup and Central Ohio .NET Developer's Group (CONDG) are coming together to bring some of the labs and breakouts from Microsoft Build to your backyard. In this free, 1 day event, you are going to Build stuff with us! And yes, there will be free food. So please RSVP for a head count!

Topic to be announced. **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

We have moved to guild.host. Look us up there. https://guild.host/events/buckeye-cocoaheads-rcavwd

I have been studying the question of "self" online with Prof. Ellie Anderson and so I thought a prompt on the "self" might be interesting. Full confession: I had Claude create this prompt and I like it, so here goes: Imagine a thought experiment that merges two classic puzzles: > You undergo a procedure, performed neuron by neuron, in which every biological component of your brain is replaced with a functionally identical synthetic substitute. At each step, your behavior, memories, and personality remain unchanged. When the last neuron is swapped, is the consciousness experiencing the world still you? And — more pressingly — was there ever a continuous "you" to begin with? ### Questions to Wrestle With * If consciousness is purely physical, does the *gradual* nature of the replacement matter, or is it equivalent to being destroyed and rebuilt? * Could there be a "self" without continuity of experience — even moment to moment, while you sleep? On a more practical level, consider the simpler case first: **hemispherectomy** patients — people who have had an entire cerebral hemisphere surgically removed — often retain a strong sense of personal identity and continuity. This suggests "you" are not rigidly tied to specific physical material. But does that vindicate the synthetic neuron case, or merely show that identity is more *flexible* than we thought — not that it can survive *complete* substrate replacement? I used Claude so I could get this out today and let everyone have some time to consider it. Hope to see you at the Oracle. Sorry about the location change two weeks ago. That's what I get for trusting local weather predictions!

NFT's are here to stay folks! This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more. **PLUS** This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.