Where We're Going, We Don't Need Roads

Hey digital dreamers & reality hackers,

One year ago, 60 of us showed up to explore what a "big tent of AI" could look like in Vancouver. Fast forward 12 months, and we’re a full-blown movement—engineers, artists, hackers, founders, builders and thinkers… all conspiring to ensure AI is something we shape, not something that shapes us.

Let’s talk about last week! . It was an experiment, a jam session, a proof-of-concept that real AI communities aren’t built in boardrooms. They happen in the wild, fueled by curiosity, chaos, and snacks.

• Loki Jorgensen of Circle Innovation ripping down AI gatekeeping while rushing off to teach sword fighting (seriously).

• Mirjana Prpa of Northeastern University connecting ethics to evolution while the crowd leaned in.

• Lionel Ringenbach shocking us awake with "Watts Up With AI" - a napkin-math breakdown showing how one day of ChatGPT burns more energy than 1,560 households use in a year.

• AI Adoption Specialist Nicole Donnelly building bridges to Seattle's AI scene, because revolution knows no borders.

Missed the madness? We got you. Read the full recap and catch up on the revolution.
Read the Full Recap →

We’re teaming up with San Francisco’s AI Salon to host a special screening of The Thinking Game—a deep, cerebral dive into AI, creativity, and cognition.

Dr. Mikhail Klassen and I will guide the post-film descent into these depths, connecting minds from Vancouver to San Francisco in real-time.

This isn't your standard "nodding politely while checking email" screening. We're diving deep into the implications of machines that think, learn, and maybe even dream.

Time: 6-9pm The Space Centre awaits: https://lu.ma/film

Remember when photographers feared Photoshop would kill their craft? Instead, it amplified what was possible. We're at that moment with AI – those who learn to dance with these tools will write tomorrow's rules.

Starting Sunday, Pete Pachal, Peter Bittner and I are opening our workshops for six weeks of hands-on digital transformation. It's about building your own AI tools, workflows, and frameworks that bend reality to your vision.

Last boarding call: https://mediacopilot.ai/ai-for-pr-media-professionals/

February's gathering will bring together voices from across the AI spectrum - from hardened skeptics to wide-eyed optimists to the thoughtfully uncertain. There's profound value in having these different perspectives collide in one space, sparking the kind of conversations that can only happen when we step outside our usual echo chambers.

This isn’t a conference. It’s not a panel. It’s a living experiment in AI collaboration, thought-provocation, and boundary-pushing. If you’re tired of corporate-controlled AI narratives, you’ll want to be here.

This raw mix of viewpoints, combined with hands-on demos and live performances, creates an environment where genuine innovation can emerge from creative friction.

Claim your spot in the rebellion: https://lu.ma/VAI14

EARLYWORM: $40 (limited)
STANDARD: $60
SUPPORTER: $120 (includes exclusive gear + funds student tickets)

Here's what I know for certain: Vancouver doesn't need to mirror Silicon Valley or chase Toronto's shadow. We're building something different here – a grassroots movement where art meets code, where ethics guide innovation, and where community trumps competition.

The AI revolution doesn’t wait. Neither should you.

See you in the matrix,

KK

P.S. Got Something to Share? Want to speak, demo, or throw some money at making this community even wilder? Here’s how:

Suggest a Speaker →Nominate a thought leader who belongs on our stage.

Become a Sponsor → Help keep this scrappy, independent AI community alive.

Apply for a Demo Spot → Show us what you’re building, breaking, or reinventing.