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Mindstone Wellington May AI Meetup
The ATOM, VUW, Rutherford House 33 Bunny Street Pipitea Campus

Welcome to the biggest Practical AI Meetup in Wellington!

Join us as we explore the world of artificial intelligence, its cutting-edge practical applications, and the astonishing projects that are shaping our future.

Why should you attend?

  • Get up close and personal with the AI projects that are redefining the boundaries of technology and human potential.
  • Learn from the brightest minds in the field and gain valuable insights into the ever-evolving AI landscape.
  • Unleash your curiosity, fuel your creativity, and expand your network as you connect with fellow AI aficionados and pioneers.

Three tracks. Three perspectives.

Each talk is 15-20 minutes, followed by a panel with all speakers and open networking.

AI in Business "Beyond the Pilot"

How organisations are moving AI from experiment to operations. Real stories from the ground - what worked, what didn't, what you'd do differently. Team adoption, ROI realities, change leadership.

AI in Practice "Building With AI"

The technical craft of putting AI to work. Architecture decisions, model selection, integration patterns, local vs cloud, open-source vs proprietary. For practitioners who build things.

AI and Society "Getting It Right"

The impact AI is having on communities, education, public services, and people. Equity, access, bias and localisation considerations, workforce transformation.

After the talks we'll have pizza, drinks, and time to connect with everyone around you.

Don't miss the opportunity to see what's really happening in AI - you'll be surprised at what's already possible today.

We have limited spots available, so get your ticket ahead of time to avoid disappointment!

Agenda
Doors Open
Welcome to the event
Introduction
Welcome and event introduction
AI & Business Strategy by Martin Kay
Martin Kay opened with a reminder that AI is not a business strategy - it's a technology to put to work behind one. What separates AI work that ships from AI work that stalls. Martin draws on 30 years across NZ startups and capital allocation to look past the case studies and into the real numbers, real decisions, and the bits founders and operators usually leave out. The room walks away with a sharper sense of where productivity gains are durable and where they're being oversold.
View recording
AI and Society by Michelle Burke
Michelle Burke raised the question that's been hardest to shake since: if AI removes the imperfect work that built juniors into seniors, who trains the future experts? The inside view from a senior public-sector lens. Drawing on her NZDF role and Reserve Bank work, Michelle unpacks how high-stakes institutions actually think about AI risk, governance and trust - the pace, the principles, and what she wishes more organisations understood about responsible adoption when the cost of getting it wrong is real.
View recording
My Year with an AI Assistant by Bogdan State
The practitioner's view from inside the university. Bogdan, drawing on his work at VUW, looks at what good practice looks like when you're building with AI rather than just using it - what the next generation actually needs to know, where universities are getting it right and wrong, and what changes when learners and educators sit on the same side of the tool.
View recording
Roundtable Discussions: AI in Practice by Roundtable Discussions
A moderated discussion with the evening's speakers on trust, adoption barriers, and keeping humans in the loop when deploying AI in real-world settings.
View recording
Wrap Up
Closing remarks and next steps
Attendees
Details
Free - 20+ spots left
The ATOM, VUW, Rutherford House 33 Bunny Street Pipitea Campus
Location
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