User Experience

**This is a ticketed event. Please register at [this link](https://luma.com/qzxavbjl).** ​Most AI governance proposals land in one of two failure modes: command-and-control regulation that can't keep pace with the technology, or heavy delegation to industry that leaves values-based decisions in private hands. In a 2023 paper, Gillian Hadfield and Jack Clark propose a third path: regulatory markets, where governments license private regulators and require AI companies to purchase regulatory services from them. ​Kathrin Gardhouse will walk us through the paper's core argument and what it would actually mean in practice: how regulatory markets differ from existing approaches, what problems they solve, and what they might get wrong. ​​​**Event Schedule** 6:00 to 6:30 - Food and introductions 6:30 to 7:30 - Presentation and Q&A 7:30 to 9:00 - Open Discussions

**What we are About:** *If Sufism is defined as mystical or the way of the mystic, then its message addresses all peoples, not just the followers of one religion.* If you feel drawn toward deeper connection—within yourself, in your relationships, or along your spiritual path. The ‘School of Sufi Teaching’ extends a warm welcome with humility, and love to all seekers of truth who feel drawn toward inner awakening and the timeless wisdom of the Sufi tradition. Our introductory gatherings offer an opportunity to experience the gentle blessings of traditional, time‑honored meditation practices passed down through an unbroken lineage. Some Sufis practice whirling, while others chant loud recitation (Zikr). At Sufi School we follow the classical practice of silent, contemplative meditation. Seated together as a group, we direct our hearts toward the Holy Essence, cultivating an atmosphere of stillness, inward reflection, and subtle spiritual presence. **Event details** (bi-weekly sessions): 7:00 - 7.15 pm Introduction for beginners 7:15 - 7:45 pm ‘Silent Meditation’ (Muraqabah) 7:45 - 8:10 pm Q&A **Location:** Mississauga Valley Community Centre (Frank Bean Lounge). This group is led by dedicated volunteers, and all sessions are offered at no cost. By choosing to attend, you acknowledge that participation is completely voluntary and at your own risk. For more details please email us at- [faraz@sufischool.org](mailto:canada@sufischool.org) For more information about the School of Sufi Teaching, Sufism and our practices please visit- [www.sufischool.org](http://www.sufischool.org) Kindly, Organizing team

**This is a ticketed event. Please register at [this link](https://luma.com/2eq29bip).** ​Proposals to nationalize AI development keep surfacing — whether driven by fears of AGI-related loss of control, or by national security logic like an "AI Manhattan Project." But these discussions rarely engage with how nationalization actually works in practice. Join Jason Yung at Trajectory Labs as he draws on the history of nationalization — its triggers, mechanisms, and consequences — to build a grounded picture of how nationalizing an AI company might actually unfold ​​​**Event Schedule** 6:00 to 6:30 - Food and introductions 6:30 to 7:30 - Presentation and Q&A 7:30 to 9:00 - Open Discussions

Join us for an evening of curated speed dating, meant for those who earn 100k+ per year, and are professionally employed. An Evening of Uncompromising Standards: Verified Elite Speed Dating Welcome to the next level of speed dating. Our Verified Elite Speed Dating event is meticulously curated for accomplished men and women in their 30s and 40s who refuse to settle. We understand that your time is your most valuable asset, which is why we have eliminated the uncertainty of traditional dating. Every attendee in the room has been vetted through our proprietary verification system, ensuring that identity, net worth, and professional standing are not just claimed, but confirmed. This exclusive evening is designed to foster genuine connections among high-caliber individuals who share your drive, ambition, and appreciation for the finer things in life. Your ticket includes a welcome cocktail or Whiskey flight, and light appetizers before the event starts. Because this experience is strictly limited to our verified members, the caliber of conversation and the potential for meaningful partnership are unparalleled. This is our first ever Verified Elite event, so don't miss out! IMPORTANT: In order to qualify for this event, you must complete the verification process on the www.15firstdates.ca website. Start by creating a profile, then look for the Verified Elite link on the left hand side. Once approved, you will be able to sign up for the event. Please do not buy a ticket here. NOTE: The verification is done through our complex Ai system, and all personal data will be permanently deleted after verification. No one at 15Firstdates will ever see your information, and we will never keep or view any of the documents you upload. Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/toronto-verified-elite-speed-dating-age-30s-and-40s-tickets-1987013531963

**Meet new people over great food in a relaxed, social setting.** This is a small-group social dining experience for people who enjoy good food, good conversation, and expanding their circle in a natural way. Everyone attending is there to meet others — no pressure, no awkward networking. **What to expect** * A small group (usually 4–8 people) * A friendly, low-pressure atmosphere * Easy, natural conversation **How it works** We coordinate the group and reserve the table once attendees confirm. The venue and details are shared with the group beforehand. Just show up, order what you like, and enjoy the experience. Each guest covers their own food and drinks. To keep groups balanced and confirmed, seat confirmations happen through #dine: https://www.hashtagdine.com/

We’re thrilled to invite you to an exciting meetup! We'll have one talk presented by an Elastic employee and one presented by a community member. Bring your questions and come support the community! **Agenda** **5:00 PM** – Doors Open Come in, say hello, grab some food, and settle in for an engaging evening. **5:45 PM** – **"Lessons from evaluating production AI Agents for over a year", presented by** Susan Chang, Principal Data Scientist at Elastic **6:15 PM** – Q&A **6:30 PM** – "**Elasticsearch Journey – Working in Different Industries", presented by** Yasir Zaid, Elastic Certified Engineer **7:00 PM** – Q&A **7:15 PM** – Networking & Event Wrap-Up Stick around to chat, connect, and share insights with fellow attendees. **When:** Thursday, May 14th 5:00 - 7:00 pm **Where:** [Centre for Social Innovation - Spadina](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=43.650017%2C%20-79.397156) 192 Spadina Ave. · Toronto, ON 3rd floor, The Viola Desmond Room **Abstracts** **"Lessons from evaluating production AI Agents for over a year"** This talk covers methods of evaluating AI Agents, with an example of how the speakers built evaluation frameworks for a user-facing AI Agent system which has been in production for over a year. We share tools and frameworks used (as well as tradeoffs and alternatives), and discuss methods such as LLM-as-Judge, rules-based evaluations, ML metrics used, as well as selection tradeoffs. **Bio:** Susan Shu Chang is a Principal Data Scientist at Elastic, where she leads work on production-grade machine learning, including generative AI and agentic workflows. She is also an internationally recognized speaker, O’Reilly author, and keynote presenter at major global technical conferences. **My Elasticsearch Journey – Working in Different Industries** This talk explores Yasir Zaidi’s hands-on experience using Elastic products to deliver strategic solutions across banking, insurance, and telecommunications. Through real-world examples, the session will cover how Elasticsearch and the broader Elastic Stack have been used for search architecture, security, SIEM, and observability, along with some of the newer and more exciting projects now being built with Elastic. The talk will also highlight recent Elasticsearch features and innovations, and how they are opening up new possibilities for modern enterprise use cases. **Bio:** Yasir Zaidi is the Owner of ZD Inc. ([https://zd-inc.net/](https://zd-inc.net/)) and Elasticsearch Experts ([https://elasticsearch.expert/](https://elasticsearch.expert/)), and Co-Founder of 360metrics ([https://www.360metrics.io/](https://www.360metrics.io/)) and Certified Elasticsearch Partner Solution Architect. He has delivered hundreds of Elasticsearch projects for organizations around the world, with experience spanning Observability, SIEM, Enterprise search, Cloud deployments, and AI-powered search solutions, Serverless and much more. His work includes engagements with Ericsson, SAP, Intact Insurance, Videotron, RONA, Geotab and Desjardins Bank, just to name a few. Backed by three master’s degrees and Elastic certifications, Yasir brings deep technical expertise and proven global delivery experience. Linkedin: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasirzaidi/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasirzaidi/) Spots are limited, so don't miss out!

**SPDY MEETUP 005** Welcome back! Following up on last week’s announcement, we are thrilled to schedule **SPDY MEETUP 005**. As always, we’ll be joined by incredible engineers who are ready to share their latest research and insights. Here's an updated list of presenters and topics: **🔸 Annie Sullivan**, Senior Staff Software Engineer at **Google** *"The latest data on soft navigations in Core Web Vitals"* 🔸 **Michal Mocny**, Sr Software Developer, **Google Chrome**, Speed Metrics *"InteractionContentfulPaint: a new Performance API for measuring UX."* 🔸 **Bas Schouten**, Performance Tech Lead at **Mozilla** *TBA* We have an incredible evening lined up featuring expert-led sessions sharing the latest in web performance research. As always, there will be dedicated time for Q&A following the sessions. **Interested in speaking?** Slots are available for lightning talks. If you’d like to share your work, please reach out via DM or email at **henrihelvetica@gmail.com**. Beyond the presentations, come enjoy some great networking with our vibrant community. We recommend **RSVPing as soon as possible** to secure your spot, as we are expecting international teams from both Google and Mozilla to also attend. With that, we look fwd to seeing everyone May 13th. -Henri

Join us on Wednesday, May 13th, 2026, at 6:30 PM for a session presented by **Aidan Foster** on using Claude Design, Anthropic's new AI-assisted design tool, to vibe design web user interfaces. **Event Details:** * **Location:** CSI Spadina - 192 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5T 2C2. Viola Desmond room on the 3rd floor * **Date and Time:** May 13, 2026, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM * **Topic:** Experimenting with Claude Design. **Location Note:** This meeting will be held in the **Viola Desmond room on the 3rd floor**. Access will be via the door to the stairs, not the usual main entrance to the basement area. We will send the building access code on the morning of the meetup, via email and chat. **Session Topic:** Claude Design starts as code and grows into design software, the opposite direction of Figma. We'll look at: * Generating a design system from a Figma file * Iterating with the tweaks panel and edit mode * Prototyping UI from existing code and screenshots * Where Claude Design fits alongside Figma and Claude Code **Your Voice Matters:** Got ideas for future presentations or want to be a speaker? Reach out to Pierre or Aidan – we're always looking for speakers and new insights! **Drinks & Discussion:** Stay after the presentation for drinks and more Drupal talk at [Hotel Ocho](https://maps.app.goo.gl/4HF9ooz2Ki9B8o577) **Special Thanks to our Sponsor:** A big shoutout to[ Kalamuna](https://www.kalamuna.com) for providing the CSI space for our meetup. Looking forward to seeing old friends and new faces alike. Let's make this a great meetup for Toronto's Drupal community, going strong since 2006!

Adopting GitHub in an enterprise environment can significantly enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and improve code quality. However, successful adoption requires careful planning and implementation of best practices. This presentation will cover key strategies for integrating GitHub into your organization's development processes. We will discuss topics such as setting up repositories, managing access controls, implementing branching strategies, and leveraging GitHub Actions for CI/CD. Additionally, we will explore how to foster a culture of collaboration through code reviews and issue tracking. Attendees will gain insights into overcoming common challenges and ensuring a smooth transition to GitHub, ultimately driving productivity and innovation within their teams. Key topics covered: * Setting up single sign-on (SSO) and integrating with existing identity providers * Configuring Enterprise Account settings and policies * Organization structure and repository management * Managing user access and permissions effectively * Hybrid Model for GitHub and Azure DevOps * Securing GitHub Actions and workflows * Implementing shift-left security practices * Addressing security concerns and ensuring data protection * Rolling out GitHub Copilot in an enterprise setting * Leveraging GitHub Apps and integrations for enhanced functionality * Integrating GitHub with existing development tools and systems * Monitoring and auditing usage for compliance *Come at 5:30 pm have some pizza and chat for a bit. The presentation starts at 6:00 pm.*

Pottery Night at Orkid Gallery! All tools included. No experience needed—just come create, connect & sip tea with us! 3-hour workshop.

**Important:** **RSVP’ing on Meetup does not reserve your spot.** **To join this experience, you must sign up at [app.cinders.dating](https://app.cinders.dating/matchCircle2?utmSource=meetup) and complete your profile. Only confirmed guests will receive the exact location and details.** Skip weeks of texting. Meet your mutual matches in a setting that doesn't feel like an awkward first date. **What to Expect** Drinks (+ small bites), 8 - 12 singles (balanced gender) looking for similar things. **How it works** 1. Create your profile on [Cinders](https://app.cinders.dating/matchCircle2?utmSource=meetup). 2. Select 3 things that matter most to you in a partner. 3. We invite a group of singles whose preferences align for a blind group date at a cozy restaurant. 4. Confirm your spot (small registration fee), show up and meet 3-4 of your closest matches in a social setting that doesn't feel like an awkward first date. The exact date and location will be shared only with confirmed guests. **[Sign up here](https://app.cinders.dating/matchCircle2?utmSource=meetup)** **[Cinders](https://cinders.dating/?utmSource=meetup) is a social app designed to help singles skip weeks of dating apps and meet in real life.** Our app learns your preferences and who and what you're into, then matches you into IRL experiences with people you might be aligned with. **To join this experience, you must sign up at [cinders.dating](https://app.cinders.dating/matchCircle2?utmSource=meetup) and complete your profile. Only confirmed guests will receive the location and details.**

**GoodChats.** . **Newest Way to Make Friends in Toronto!** . Ever walked into a coffee shop and wished you knew the people around you? That’s exactly what GoodChats is for. . Our Coffee Chat events are designed to make meeting new people feel natural — no awkward intros, no swiping, no pressure. Just real conversations with people who already share your interests. **How it works:** . **1) Sign up on iOS or Android** Download the GoodChats app to get started. . Use the code **COFFEE** to sign-up for the invite-only app today! [https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp](https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp) . **2) Start a chat about what you like** Talk about anything you’re into — hobbies, ideas, random thoughts. The app builds your profile based on what you actually care about. . **3) Join a Coffee Chat** We match you with a small group of people who share similar interests and invite you to a local coffee shop meetup. That’s it — just show up, grab a drink, and talk. . **What to expect:** * Small groups (so it’s actually easy to connect) * Weekly events at local coffee shops * A relaxed, low-pressure environment * People you’re genuinely likely to vibe with . **Good to know:** * Events are **completely free** * All event details and invites are inside the GoodChats app * We’re currently in **beta**, with new Coffee Chats happening every week Use the code **COFFEE** to sign-up for the invite-only app today! [https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp](https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp) . If you’ve ever wanted meeting new people to feel easier (and more real)… this is for you.

**Building a great product is one thing—building momentum behind it is another.** Join **Senior Product Manager Adam Solaiman** and **User Experience Manager Tyson Smith** for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to turn complex ideas into scalable products inside large organizations. In this session, they’ll share how teams move from ambiguity to execution—navigating organizational complexity, aligning stakeholders, and continuously evolving products after launch. You’ll walk away with insights on how to: * Build and sustain momentum across teams * Adapt to changing priorities without losing direction * Scale products thoughtfully in complex environments Whether you're driving a new initiative or growing an existing product, this conversation will give you practical strategies to keep things moving forward. Come connect, learn, and swap stories with fellow product professionals. \-\-\- Food and drinks will be provided by Switchbox, our generous host. Free parking will be available at the front and back sides of the Switchbox Office.

Customer identity resolution becomes increasingly complex as organizations scale across multiple systems, regions, and data formats. Traditional rule-based approaches often fail to keep up with data variability, require constant manual tuning, and struggle with real-time processing needs. This session presents a practical approach to building a scalable identity resolution pipeline using AWS services and modern AI techniques. The architecture combines data ingestion through Amazon S3 and AWS Glue, transformation pipelines using Spark on EMR, and machine learning models deployed via SageMaker for entity matching and standardization. Graph-based relationship modeling is implemented using Amazon Neptune to improve resolution accuracy by incorporating household and shared attribute context. We will walk through how machine learning models can be used for name and address normalization, how intelligent blocking strategies improve matching efficiency, and how feedback loops can be introduced to continuously improve accuracy. The session also highlights how serverless components such as AWS Lambda can be used for orchestration and real-time processing. **SPEAKER BIO** Mosaic Syed is a Senior Data Engineering and Cloud Solutions Architect with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions across global enterprise environments. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaic-basha-syed-92300856 **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: [https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/](https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/) **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: [https://www.veeam.com/](https://www.veeam.com/) **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **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

**Total Eclipse of the Chart: School Redistricting Dashboards** In this presentation, we will explore the utilization of maps, sets, and SQL within a Tableau dashboard to help provide “what-if” analyses generated through the use of a mapped dashboard, providing different scenarios and the potential implications of these. While in this use case we are focused on a large school district, the concepts of utilizing existing data to explore the future impacts of modifying different geographic boundaries can be useful to many industries, balancing the mix of maps with visual analytics. **About Our Speaker** Robert Kramer is the Data Systems and State Reporting Coordinator at South Western City Schools in Grove City. He has worked there for 17 years, serving previously in the roles of Data Analyst, Programmer, and Operations Coordinator. Prior to working at South Western, he worked as a Systems Engineer at Pinnacle Data Systems in Groveport. He graduated in 2005 from The University of Toledo with his Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Engineering, and a minor in Mathematics. Robert resides in Obetz with his wife, and their 15 and 12 year-old daughters. He was also just elected to his 3rd four-year term on the Obetz City Council. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

**We'll have two meetings covering AI - this second one is for Positron** We will review which AI features are linked in for Positron, and how to use them. **Source documents:** the repository is public, at: https://github.com/BarryDeCicco/AARUG_2026_04_09_AI_In_Positron You can download documents, or clone/fork the repository. **Location:** The meetup will be at SPARK's ([https://annarborusa.org/](https://annarborusa.org/)) Ann Arbor site: [SPARK HQ (Ann Arbor)](https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ann*Arbor*SPARK*Headquarters/@42.2792515,-83.7447708,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x883cae3effe193cb:0x5296a53db2a282bf!8m2!3d42.2792515!4d-83.7447708?hl=en-US__;Kysr!!HXCxUKc!3EEdBNXRJKknP6LCGkZetSuEsdtChFojQnOVitFUC5C0fyilqXEbiMstT9ajBR3Cw-55qoFkrElCjQvjMdTxUw$). There is on street parking, and parking at local structures. **This will be a hybrid meeting - the Zoom session starts at 6:30 PM.** **Time:** The doors will be open at 6:00, with pizza and beverages provided. We will have a meet-and-greet-and-pizza session, and then at 6:30 we'll have a presentation. **Zoom information:** https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6658850479?pwd=Snd1UmZTT3pjZktENlczUXh4SERwUT09&omn=89012971377 Passcode: 940392 **If you can't get in, please call me at: 734 223-3307** **The github repository is at: https://github.com/BarryDeCicco/AARUG_2026_04_09_AI_In_Positron**

Practical AI for Power BI Developers A year ago, “agentic AI” was mostly hype for Power BI teams. Today, it deserves your undivided attention. For Power BI pros, there is now a real opportunity to reduce repetitive development work, accelerate delivery, and help developers do more, but only when strong DataOps practices are in place to make AI workflows effective. This session is a no-nonsense introduction to effective AI patterns for Power BI and Fabric development. Along the way, we will make sense of the growing pile of terminology, including skills, plugins, hooks, and MCP. You will see examples of how modern AI tooling can help with development tasks across Power BI and Fabric, along with the prerequisites, guardrails, and DataOps principles needed to use it responsibly. Whether you're burned out on AI hype or already using Copilot CLI daily, this session will show you the foundations that are finally making AI-assisted development genuinely useful.

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)