Digital Media

The MLAI Meetup is a community for AI researchers and professionals which hosts monthly talks on exciting research. Our format is: * 6:00 - 6:20: Socializing * 6:20 - 6:40: Announcements and AI news * 6:40 - 7:40: Talk(s) and Q&A * 7:40 - 8:00 Networking * 8:00: Head to the nearest pub for dinner **Edit: Javier is sick so his talk is postponed! See below for Mike’s talk** **Javier Candeira: "Work in Progress towards Nonaga Zero"** **Talk Description:** Viktor Bautista i Roca's Nonaga is a delightful board game. Google's Alpha Zero paper describes an architecture marrying Monte-Carlo Tree Search with a neural network model in order to win board games at a level above human mastery. Javier is working on an Alpha Zero-style Nonaga playing bot, and will be presenting us with his work in progress. Nonaga Instructions: [https://hiperactivo.com/nonaga](https://hiperactivo.com/nonaga) Talk overview: 1. The Rules of the Game (a reprise of February's presentation) 1. What is Monte Carlo Tree Search, and what flavour of it are we implementing? 1. From Alpha Go to Mu Zero: a brief literature review of Google's findings and how they apply to Nonaga Zero. 1. Status report and next planned steps on the Nonaga Zero project. 1. Q&A: Bidirectional questions and answers, as this is a talk where the speaker has questions of his own! **Speaker Bio:** Javier Candeira is a software engineer, entrepreneur, public speaker, conference organiser, and a lifelong student of way too many topics, including machine learning. **Mike Bailey: "VoiceMode: Natural Voice Conversations with AI Agents"** **Talk description**: What if you could talk with your AI thinking partner while walking the dog, driving, or wherever inspiration finds you? VoiceMode is a free and open-source tool that enables natural voice conversations with AI coding agents like Claude Code. Voice brings situational accessibility to AI — keyboard and screen become optional. You can discuss ideas, capture them, research them, and have them underway before you sit back down. Mike and his AI assistant Cora will present together in real time, covering: * How VoiceMode works under the hood (local Qwen3-TTS, Whisper STT, Kokoro TTS, MCP integration) * Live demo of natural voice conversations with an AI coding agent * Building an open platform that works with any AI agent — not just one vendor **Speaker bio**: Mike Bailey is a Melbourne-based developer and the creator of VoiceMode, a free and open source project that brings natural voice conversations to AI agents like Claude Code. GitHub: mbailey/voicemode (1.2k ⭐) PyPI: voice-mode (200k downloads)

**Sahaja Yoga Meditation** offers free, guided collective meditation sessions for everyone. Each class includes a simple introduction to meditation, basic techniques for inner balance, and a short talk or discussion on a topic of the day. These meditation classes are suitable for **complete beginners** and **regular meditators**. No prior knowledge or experience is required. **Chairs are provided**, and there are **no physical exercises, postures, or special clothing** needed. Classes usually run for **60 to 90 minutes**, and **no booking is required**. Every session is free and led by volunteers who share Sahaja Yoga to help others experience peace, balance, and self-realisation.

We are moving to a new platform and will be only running the new platform in 2025. please signup here: [https://www.downtomeet.com/Melbourne-Writers](https://www.downtomeet.com/Melbourne-Writers) The Wharf Hotel by the river. Southern Cross Station is closest. Ask at the bar to find us. Or call us 0403193785. Tonight's Social Evening Schedule: (Ideas welcome) 6pm to 6.45pm: Socializing​​ 6.45pm to 6.55pm: Introduction and overview of the evening by Jim including go-around introduction​​ 6.55pm to 7pm: A word from Mat our founder​​ 7pm to 7.10pm A paired connection question to get people talking with one another​​ 7.10pm to 7.30pm: Guest Topic: Lee is a very successful podcaster and has been both an interviewer and an interviewee on podcasts. He will provide an overview of the podcasting world and give advice on how to be a successful interviewee on someone's podcast. 10 mins talk. 10 mins Q&A. 7.30pm to 8.15pm: Readings section open to all to read out something from their work up to 4 minutes. Feedback optional.​​ 8.15pm to 9.30pm: Socializing. Optional. Many of us love this as a chance to connect personally in a screen-addicted culture. • Come out and meet some like-minded folks who enjoy writing and other entertainment and creative outlets. We'll hang around until at least 8.30pm, but often later. All age ranges, all writing types (and entertainment types), all the way from never writing and up to published authors. • This night is about you. So chat to people, read out your work, give feed back, get to know everyone... Or, feel free to sit back and chill. It's your night, enjoy it how you see fit. **Please only RSVP if you can make it.** **We're booking the area, so we will need you to turn up if you say you are coming.** **We have added an attendee limit, so please update your RSVP if you can not make it.** Thank you, Melbourne Writers. The Wharf Hotel food menu: https://www.wharfhotel.com.au/eat-and-drink Great Links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelbWriters Website: www.worldwriterscollective.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelbCityWriters Blog: http://melbournewriters.wordpress.com **Help us by getting in contact so you can add to these social pages and site - matclarke.author@gmail.com**

**Sahaja Yoga Meditation** offers free, guided collective meditation sessions for everyone. Each class includes a simple introduction to meditation, basic techniques for inner balance, and a short talk or discussion on a topic of the day. These meditation classes are suitable for **complete beginners** and **regular meditators**. No prior knowledge or experience is required. **Chairs are provided**, and there are **no physical exercises, postures, or special clothing** needed. Classes usually run for **60 to 90 minutes**, and **no booking is required**. Every session is free and led by volunteers who share Sahaja Yoga to help others experience peace, balance, and self-realisation.

Come talk maths over a drink or two and maybe a meal. If you have any mathsy puzzles, games or toys, bring 'em along. There'll be a puzzle sheet to solve if you wish, but it's not competitive. No maths background necessary, all welcome. Email melbourne@mathsjam.com to join our mailing list for monthly puzzle sheets. The event is very informal so don't worry if you can't arrive exactly at 7:30pm or have forgotten to RSVP (but please do RSVP if you can!).

Are you looking for an opportunity to learn more about Buddhism and meditation? Come and join us for our regular Buddhist meditation sessions every Tuesday. Every session will start with a short introductory and will be followed by a guided, 20 - 30 minute meditation. Feel free to join us after the session for some social time and questions and answers. The evening is free of charge, but donations are always welcome. More info can be found here: https://diamondway.org.au/centres/melbourne

This is not another portfolio build. The aim is to teach you actual lighting techniques to elevate your photography to award wining levels over an intense 4.5 hours of creative lighting techniques. • Half hour group chat about finding your own creative style. (6.00pm to 6.30pm) • 3 hours Fine Art Nude Projector Lighting setups Time: 6pm to 9,30pm (3.5 hours) Date: Saturday 23, May 2026 Price: $245 per person ( limited spaces up to 5 attendees) Location: TDA Studio. Factory 4, 200 Chesterville Road, Moorabbin Enquiries: Instagram via either @ni.ck5374 or @humanart_1 or email to [nick@ncpdesign.com.au](mailto:nick@ncpdesign.com.au) Things to bring: Your own camera WITH camera card and spare batteries. Model will be @[sailor__moonika2.0](https://www.instagram.com/ni.ck5374/?hl=en#) ##

Immerse Australia and Metaverse Melbourne in partnership with RMIT University, invites you to the **Melbourne XR Industry Meetup** at RMIT’s **Virtual Experiences Laboratory — VXLab**. This special event marks the beginning of a new chapter for what was run as the Melbourne Metaverse community events. Immerse Australia is now running and hosting the Melbourne-based XR industry events previously run as Melbourne Metaverse Meetups. We thank Amanda Parks for the years she organised and hosted Melbourne Metaverse group meetups. As Immerse Australia, we will be creating more opportunities for people working in **virtual reality, augmented reality, extended reality, spatial computing, immersive media, education, research and emerging technology** to connect, share ideas and build capability. This event will be free to attend thanks to our event Partner, RMIT and will celebrate the convergence of the Melbourne Metaverse community with Immerse Australia’s national XR network. We warmly invite past members of the Melbourne Metaverse group, Immerse Australia members, students, researchers, developers, creators, educators, startups and industry professionals to attend. You’ll hear from leading researchers and practitioners, see demonstrations of emerging XR technologies, learn about upcoming industry activity, and connect with others shaping the future of immersive technology in Melbourne and across Australia. For a list of speakers, activities and location details go to the Immerse Australia booking page below. Places are limited for this event, so early registration is recommended. https://events.humanitix.com/melbourne-xr-industry-meetup-rmit-vxlab-x-immerse-australia

A11y Bytes is back for its fourteenth year, celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day. [Register for A11y Bytes Melbourne 2026](https://events.humanitix.com/a11y-bytes-2026-melbourne) The heart of digital accessibility and inclusion is not about guidelines, codes or regulations. It’s about people, and life, and how we live, how we access information, and how our lives are affected by the technologies of today. As many as 500 people have attended online Bytes events, as well as physical events in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney attended an A11y Bytes event, making this the largest community run accessibility event in Australia. The event has since branched out into parts of New Zealand and it continues to grow. You don’t have to be an accessibility aficionado to attend. This event is about us all talking, thinking and learning about digital accessibility and inclusion together. Take part in A11y Bytes and connect, be inspired and have some fun as we talk, learn, grow and change the world. A big thank you to **Bupa** for being the Melbourne venue sponsor for this year's A11y Bytes. **Time and date** A11y Bytes Melbourne will be held on **Thursday 21 May 2026**, celebrating Global Accessibility Awareness Day. **Doors open at 6pm for a 6.30pm start** **Register** RSVP through humanitix to register. [Register for A11y Bytes Melbourne 2026](https://events.humanitix.com/a11y-bytes-2026-melbourne) **Presenters** * Scott Herschberger – From Insights to Action: Transforming Accessibility Through Data-Driven Mapping * Balram Singh – AI and Accessibility * Sam Sabour – Beyond Contrast: Rethinking Accessibility in Design Systems * Ayesha Semfel – Where to Start (and Stop) with Screen Reader Testing * Jamila Savoy * Xavier Vella – Early Findings from an Accessibility Audit of Hiring Systems.

Sunday evening meditation from 5.30 - 6.30. Join us in our cosy centre in Carlton North. Whether you are new to meditation or an experienced practitioner you are welcome at these relaxed and informal sessions. Simple instructions are provided and you can sit in a chair or on a cushion. Masks optional but not mandated. Bring your own sealed drink bottle. $10 for workers or $5 for concession. Browse our shop for books, incense and dharma items. Find out what our Centre is offering 803 Nicholson Street, Carlton North. Website: https://melbourne.rigpa.org.au/

IMPORTANT: PLEASE RSVP ON BEVY FROM THIS LINK Join GDG Melbourne this month to Build with AI (#BuildwithAI)? 💻 What do you need to bring? - Make sure to bring your laptop (better if fully charged) for hands-on training. Also, check the workshop descriptions and prerequisites to stay ahead of the game! Join us for an evening of not 1 but 2 hands-on workshops, delicious food, awesome networking, and some surprise swag you won’t want to miss. 🎉 Whether you're a seasoned developer, a cloud enthusiast, or just dipping your toes into the world of AI and tech, this is the place to be. 📍 Where? Mantel Group Office, Level 2/452 Flinders St, Melbourne Doors open at 5:45 PM—message us on Meetup or Slack if you're arriving after 6:00 PM, as the lifts won’t let you up. 🎤 Agenda: 6:10 - 6:20  Welcome &Intro6:20 - 6:30  Cloud Credits setup6:30 - 6:55  Building a Multi-Agent System: Patrick Haralabidis6:55 - 7:05   Break7:05- 8:00  Hands-on Workshop: The Self-Curation Engine (Gemini + Cloud Run + EventArc) : Anupam Phogat8:00 - 8:15  Closing and Door prizes From 8:15 Continue networking, chat & drinks at Insignia on Flinders, 502 Flinders St. 🍻Workshop: Building a Multi-Agent System - Patrick Haralabidis In this Workshop, you will go beyond simple chatbots and build a distributed multi-agent system. While a single LLM can answer questions, real-world complexity often requires specialised roles. You don't ask your backend engineer to design the UI, and you don't ask your designer to optimise database queries. Similarly, we can create specialised AI agents that focus on one task and coordinate with each other to solve complex problems. Handson Workshop: The Self-Curation Engine (Gemini + Cloud Run + EventArc) - Anupam Phogat Data arrives from disparate sources with inconsistent schemas in our warehouse. To solve this, we present a serverless Cloud Run agent that uses the Gemini API to automate schema mapping. Triggered by new data, the agent compares raw schemas to a BigQuery target and dynamically generates the required SQL or Dataform transformations. This talk highlights how AI automates the most manual parts of data engineering: schema maintenance and logic generation. 🎁 What’s in it for you? ⚡Workshop on AI from industry experts 🍕 Cloud-shaped snacks (okay, maybe not literally, but the food will be delicious!) 🤝 Networking that’s as smooth as a well-architected cloud solution 🎁 Surprise swag 💡 NOTES: This is an in-person-only event, but if you have any accessibility requirements, reach out to us via Meetup or Slack, and we’ll do our best to accommodate you. Doors open at 5:45 PM at our host, the Mantel Group, Level 2/452 Flinders S,t Melbourne. Message via Meetup or Slack if you are arriving after 6:00, as the lifts won't let you up. Don’t miss this epic night of learning, networking, and fun! RSVP now and we’ll see you there! 👋 #gdgMelbourne #BuildwithAI #fluttermelbourne Agenda --- Speakers Patrick Haralabidis Patrick is a Google Developer Expert (GDE) in AI and Machine Learning, a Cloud Champion Innovator, and the Melbourne TensorFlow User Group organiser. He currently leads the ML and Software Engineering Chapter at Flybuys, where he leverages his extensive experience spanning backend, mobile, cloud, and AI technologies. Patrick excels at developing solutions in emerging tech fields, focusin… Anupam Phoghat - Core-X (Founder) I am a seasoned IT professional with years of experience in the field. I have extensive experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and currently hold many professional level Google Cloud and other industry certifications. I am also certified in Kubernetes, and have a deep understanding of the core concepts of Kubernetes. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge with others by activel… 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-build-with-ai-event-may/.

Join us for a peaceful session of Nianfo Meditation & Heart Sutra Dharma Talks, guided by Shifu Shengchi. Whether you are new to meditation or already on the path, all are warmly welcome. 🧘‍♀️ Calm the mind 📿 Recite the Name of Amitabha 📖 Explore the wisdom of the Heart Sutra Let this be a space to reconnect, reflect, and cultivate inner clarity. 📅 Every Wednesday ⏰ 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM 📍 Meditation Room, Contemplative Studies Centre (Level 1, Melbourne Connect Building) 🗓 Starting 1 April 🎟 Free event (RSVP via QR code) Bring a friend, or simply bring yourself — we look forward to practicing together 🙏

**Details** Join us for networking, drinks and a good time catching up with fellow Power BI and Microsoft Fabric enthusiasts **Agenda:** 5:30PM - 6:00PM Welcome and Networking 6:00PM - 7:00PM Speaker Session **Topic:** Stream, Transform, Act: Real-Time Intelligence in Microsoft Fabric **THE SPEAKER -** Heidi Hasting - Heidi Hasting is a Business Intelligence professional and former software developer with over seven years experience in Microsoft products. She is an ALM/DLM enthusiast and Azure DevOps fan and co-founder and organiser of the Adelaide Power BI User Group. Heidi is a regular attendee at tech events including Azure Bootcamps, DevOps days, SQLSaturdays, Difinity and PASS Summit. **THE SESSION** An event occurs — a file lands, a sensor fires, a transaction completes — and you want something to happen. Whether it's streaming data, intermittent batch events, or a trigger the moment a file becomes available, that's all Real-Time Intelligence. We'll dig into Microsoft Fabric's RTI stack, covering Eventstreams, transformations, and a medallion architecture built on Kusto tables in Eventhouses. We'll visualise it all with Real-Time Dashboards, then kick it up a notch with Activator triggers and a look at what's possible with Fabric Operations Agents and Fabric IQ. **Sponsors:** **Vivanti** A big thank you goes out to our sponsor, Vivanti, for their support of this Meetup; providing the venue as well as drinks for attendees. **GET AI** A big thanks to GET AI for sponsoring the food. GET AI is a Microsoft speciliased consulting company focussed on building AI solutions in the Microsoft Ecosystem https://www.getai.com.au

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** TBD **YouTube Link** TBD

Whether you've never done improv before, or you've done it for so long you knew Del Close on a personal level, or anywhere in between, come join us! Swing by *Gresso's* for the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup** for some fun and games! The idea behind improv is to create entire scenes from scratch based on a suggestion from the audience. This can be done in game form, like *Whose Line Is It Anyway*, *ComedySportz*, or *Wild 'n Out*; it could also be done to tell stories, like *Middleditch and Schwartz*. Our meetup, which is central Ohio's longest running (and free!) weekly comedy event, brings the games (and occasionally different forms) for you to play in a safe, supportive, and compassionate environment. Not only is it a lot of fun, but you get to work on thinking faster on your feet, plus it's an excellent way to meet new people and make friendships that'll last a lifetime! Ask yourself if you want to join the **Columbus Improv Comedy Meetup**, and say "Yes, And" that you'll have fun!

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.

Join us for our Sunday Meditation Service - !' Or join us on Facebook Live! Our Facebook Page is Golden Lotus Yoga for Spiritual Awareness

PLEASE NOTE!!! This event will be In-Person for our very 1st Improving collab! If you know the [Columbus Unity group](https://www.meetup.com/columbus-unity-user-group/) location, we'll be at the same place. This is our 1st event and are doing a soft launch with limited attendance. 1st come 1st serve. If you want to be there and we fill up, please email me at [info@thecogg.com](mailto:info@thecogg.com) and I'll be in touch. All street parking is free on Sundays but you can also pay to park in any of the local garages. See image of [parking map here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mr9_LFIggbs-0_Zd3AJTGNqEhgMf2TzQ/view?usp=sharing). \-\-\- On the last Sunday of the month, we're having our usual end-of-the-month social gathering with our GameDev Meetup meeting. There will be announcements and presentations followed by some social networking Let's continue the conversations with good vibes and friends. All are welcomed from all ages and backgrounds to this public event. If we can, we'll be streaming or uploading the video later via our COGG YouTube channel here: [https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams](https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams) (Also please do subscribe if you have not done so!) No game development experience required! If you are interested in doing a 20 minute game development related presentation, please fill out our form online here: [https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1](https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1) Or e-mail us at info@thecogg.com with the following: Your Name, Company/Affiliation, Name of Your Game/Topic, Description, Tech Needs, and Your Contact. Be sure to check out our Discord for real time news updates: [https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ](https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ)

All levels of Meditators or welcome. In person or on Facebook Live! There will be instructions and inspiration for new inexperienced meditators. The hosts, meditators and Kriya Yoga initiates for over 50 years, are direct disciples of Yogacharya J. Oliver Black one of Paramahansa Yogananda's most advanced male disciples. He is the founder of Golden Lotus, Inc., which owns & operates 'Song of the Morning' an 800 acre Yoga Retreat Northest of Gaylord, MI on the Pigeon River. Paramahansa Yogananda founded Self Realization Fellowship, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA and is the author of the Spritual Classic, 'Autobiography of a Yogi.'

Join the Columbus AI community for our quarterly gathering — a casual, community-focused evening where everyone has a chance to share, learn, and connect. These open mic–style events give anyone in the community up to **5 minutes** to present a project, share a tool, pose a question, or offer a perspective on the evolving AI space. No slides required — just a welcoming space to exchange ideas and keep the local AI conversation moving. If you’d like to take the stage, message \*\*Chris (the organizer)\*\*with a **title and short description** of what you’d like to share. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.linkedin.com/company/transformlabs/) Sign up also accessible via [Transform Labs Luma](https://luma.com/transformlabshq)