GHOST IN THE MACHINE: What is Artificial Intelligence?

⌖ Brighton

Hosted by HeyGen Brighton Community Free Coffee Meetups

Learn how to create your first AI avatar video with HeyGen at this free, informal coffee meetup for Brighton’s business and creative community. Hosted by HeyGen Ambassador Hasan Kai, the session takes place on Friday 16 October 2026, from 10:00–11:00 AM BST in Brighton. The venue has not yet been announced, so attendees should check the event page for location updates. Designed for local business owners, creators, marketers and anyone curious about AI video, the meetup will explore how HeyGen avatars work through practical examples. Attendees will receive help creating or planning an AI avatar video for social media or business use. No previous HeyGen experience is required. Existing users are also encouraged to bring their questions, ideas and examples to discuss. Alongside the hands-on guidance, there will be time for coffee and meeting other local people interested in AI, digital marketing and content creation. This is the first event from the HeyGen Brighton Community Free Coffee Meetups group. The meetup is listed as recurring every two weeks on Fridays until 6 April 2027. Register for this free meetup

⌖ Brighton · The Walrus Pub

Hosted by Brighton CTO

Brighton CTO’s fireside chat brings technology leaders together on 20 October 2026 to discuss the challenges of running a technology function in Brighton. A candid conversation about technology leadership Running a technology function involves decisions that extend well beyond code. This evening event offers a focused setting in which CTOs and other technology leaders can compare experiences, examine common leadership challenges and hear how peers approach the realities of managing a technical organisation. Hosted by Martyn F. for the Brighton CTO community, the event takes place from 6:30pm to 9:30pm BST on Tuesday 20 October 2026 at The Walrus Pub, 10 Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AD. What to expect The event is presented as a fireside chat rather than a formal conference or hands-on workshop. Its central theme is the set of common challenges involved in running a technology function, with the conversation sitting at the intersection of: - Engineering leadership - Technology strategy and organisational responsibility - Chief Technology Officer roles - Leadership within technical teams and businesses No detailed agenda or guest-speaker line-up has been published, so attendees should expect a broad, discussion-led session rather than a tightly prescribed list of talks. That open format makes the evening especially relevant for people who want to explore practical leadership issues with others operating in similar roles. Who should attend? This meetup is aimed primarily at CTOs, engineering leaders and people responsible for technology functions. It may also be useful for senior technical professionals moving towards leadership responsibilities who want a clearer view of the challenges faced at organisational level. The focus is not on learning a particular programming language, AI platform or no-code tool. Instead, it is an opportunity to step back from day-to-day delivery and consider the wider responsibilities of technology leadership. The three-hour evening format provides room for a substantial conversation in an informal pub environment, making it well suited to thoughtful peer exchange within Brighton’s technology community. Places and any further event updates are managed through Meetup. Register for the Brighton CTO fireside chat.

⌖ Brighton · Ironworks Theatre

Hosted by Kanban Coaching Exchange

Lean Agile Brighton brings agile practitioners to Brighton for a single-track day exploring AI, continuous delivery, product flow and human-centred teamwork. Taking place on Wednesday 21 October 2026, from 9:00am to 5:30pm BST, this in-person conference features a hand-selected programme of industry experts. It is designed for agile practitioners, coaches, product and delivery professionals, technology leaders, and anyone interested in improving how teams collaborate and deliver value. Talks and themes The programme combines technical and organisational perspectives, examining how modern teams can make effective use of AI while strengthening the distinctly human capabilities behind resilient delivery: - Stuart Young, encouraging human skills in an AI world - Sarah Wells, keeping systems up to date in an ever-changing landscape - Nicola Sedgwick, why humility sits at the centre of team confidence - Thierry de Pauw, what Continuous Delivery is actually about - Sam Carpenter, using visual thinking to unlock collaboration and leadership - Nicolas Brown, using AI to scale product and flow expertise - Masha Gaganova, building a resilient career The single-track format means attendees share the same talks and ideas throughout the day, creating common ground for conversations about product flow, software delivery, leadership and team dynamics. Rather than splitting attention across parallel sessions, the event offers one focused programme spanning practical technology concerns and the interpersonal skills required to navigate change. Venue and community The conference is organised by the team behind the Brighton Lean Agile Meetup Group. It is a non-profit event celebrating the latest thinking in collaboration, delivery and technology, and has raised more than £50,000 for charity since it began in 2018. Ironworks Theatre is located at 30 Cheapside, Brighton, BN1 4GD, in the North Laine creative quarter. The venue is approximately five minutes’ walk from Brighton station and ten minutes from the seafront. Members of the Kanban Coaching Exchange can receive a 20% discount by using the code EXCHANGE20. Further conference information is available from Lean Agile Brighton. View the event and registration details

⌖ Brighton · Freedom Works

Hosted by Silicon Brighton

Build your AWS knowledge and meet fellow cloud professionals at AWS Brighton User Group Meetup 17, taking place at Freedom Works in Brighton on 27 October 2026. What to expect The AWS Brighton User Group brings together people who are passionate about Amazon Web Services and the wider cloud computing landscape. This two-hour evening meetup offers a welcoming setting in which to exchange knowledge, learn from other practitioners and build connections across the local technology community. Attendees can expect an in-person community format centred on: - Networking with AWS users and cloud computing professionals - Sharing practical knowledge, perspectives and experiences - Connecting with industry experts and like-minded practitioners - Keeping up with the latest trends in cloud computing - Expanding their AWS knowledge and skill set The detailed agenda and any speaker information are still to be announced, so this listing is currently a save-the-date. Follow the event page for updates as further plans are confirmed. Who should attend? This meetup is designed for a broad range of AWS enthusiasts. Experienced practitioners can compare approaches, share what they have learned and meet others working in the field. People at the beginning of their cloud journey will also find a supportive community where they can start developing their understanding of AWS and learn from those with more hands-on experience. Whether you work with cloud infrastructure professionally, are exploring AWS for a future project or simply want to become more involved in Brighton’s cloud technology scene, the group is intended to be accessible to different experience levels. No specific prerequisite or technical level is listed. Date and venue The event runs from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Tuesday 27 October 2026 at Freedom Works, 8–14 Black Lion Street, Brighton and Hove, Brighton, BN1 1JE. The meetup is organised by Silicon Brighton, which supports Brighton’s technology community through events and meetup groups. Its community also has a Slack workspace for ongoing connections beyond the event. Register for AWS Brighton User Group Meetup 17

⌖ Brighton · dabapps

Hosted by Silicon Brighton

Build your programming skills with one-to-one support at this free Codebar workshop in Brighton on 27 October 2026. Designed for beginner and intermediate learners, this in-person session offers a safe, supportive place to learn at your own pace. Rather than following a single class-wide lesson, you can work on your own course or coding project with guidance from a volunteer coach. Codebar aims to match each student with the right coach for one-to-one help, subject to availability, so you can focus on the problems and skills most relevant to you. What to expect The evening combines informal social time with focused, hands-on coding: - 6:30pm: Arrive, meet the group and share pizza - 7pm–9pm: Work on your course or project with coaching support - After 9pm: An optional pub visit for anyone who would like to continue the conversation This is a practical workshop rather than a programme of talks. Bring something you want to learn, practise or build, and use the coding session to make progress in a welcoming environment. The individual format gives newer programmers space to ask questions without having to keep pace with a large class, while intermediate learners can bring more specific challenges or projects. The event also welcomes volunteer coaches. If you have programming knowledge and experience to share, you can attend to support students, answer questions and help someone work through their course or project. It is an opportunity to contribute to Brighton’s coding community while developing your own mentoring skills. Venue and food The workshop runs from 6:30pm to 9pm on Tuesday 27 October 2026 at dabapps, Nile House, Nile Street, Brighton, BN1 1HW. Pizza is provided at the start of the evening, with vegetarian and vegan options. Attendees should add any other dietary requirements to their Codebar profile so the organisers can make sure there is something suitable in the selection. Places are free, but advance sign-up is required. Whether you are taking your first steps in programming, developing an existing project or offering your time as a coach, this workshop provides a friendly setting for learning through direct, practical support. Register for this free coding workshop

⌖ Brighton

Hosted by AI in Media Institute

FLIRT 2026 brings a practical blueprint for responsible, AI-native organisations to Brighton on 2–3 November, spanning media, marketing and operations. Taking over West Street and satellite venues across Brighton, this two-day, in-person festival-conference examines how organisations can implement AI in the real world,not simply discuss its potential. The programme explores how to operationalise AI across teams, prepare people for changing roles and workflows, and build systems that can last. Organised by the AI in Media Institute, FLIRT expands on the sold-out 2025 AIMI Conference, which brought together 600 attendees and 40 speakers across two stages. Its 2026 edition widens the focus beyond creative AI to cover the complete structure of an AI-native organisation: culture, creativity, infrastructure, governance, talent and execution. What to expect FLIRT combines conference content with practical exploration and city-wide experiences: - The Main Stage hosts keynotes, major ideas and perspectives intended to shape the industry agenda. - The Future Stage tackles the workforce conversation, including what is changing, what is breaking and how organisations are responding. - The Startup Village presents early-stage AI companies through live pitches, investor access and direct industry exposure. - Specialist satellite zones feature live demonstrations of frontier technology, including robotics and real-time generative AI. - Hands-on workshops, immersive experiences and debates create space to test ideas rather than passively consume them. - Flirt After-hours extends the programme into Brighton and makes networking and conversation part of the wider festival experience. Who should attend? The event is designed for anyone whose work is being reshaped by AI. That includes founders, CEOs, CMOs, brand and agency leaders, creative directors, producers, publishers, journalists, broadcasters, musicians, artists, content creators and game developers. Product leaders, engineers, XR builders, startup founders and CTOs will be represented alongside operations, finance, legal, IP, risk, governance, HR, People and L&D professionals.… Register for this event