Run Your Own AI Locally with Microsoft Foundry

⌖ 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

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

⌖ Brighton · Brighton Dome

UX Brighton 2026 is a one-day conference on emerging UX methods, taking place at Brighton Dome in Brighton on Friday 6 November 2026. The fundamentals remain familiar,understand what people need, design solutions, test them and build them,but the methods available to UX teams are rapidly multiplying. This conference is designed to help attendees separate genuinely useful developments from noise, understand which techniques translate effectively into UX practice and identify established approaches that new technology has finally made practical. What to expect The programme brings together practitioners working at the edges of UX research, design and product development. Rather than focusing on novelty for its own sake, the day will explore what is actually working across new research techniques, design tools, testing methods and ways of working. Confirmed speakers include: - Vivek Gopinath, Lead User Researcher at IBM, whose mixed-method practice spans qualitative and quantitative research, machine learning, heuristic analysis, eye tracking, behavioural studies, cognitive psychology and predictive UX. His work examines how AI-driven personalisation can anticipate user needs while maintaining a deep, empathetic understanding of behaviour. - Prama Ayalasomayajula, a research leader at HubSpot with experience in service design, small-business products, Zalando sellers and Meta Shops. Her work investigates why discovery breaks down, how scalable UX processes hold together and what service blueprints can reveal beyond standalone insights. - Chiara Scarabotti, UX Lead at Springer Nature, specialising in complex publishing flows and multi-persona journeys. She focuses on problem framing, information architecture and turning messy systems into transparent, actionable practices for cross-disciplinary teams. - Kathy Neuss, Head of Research at Mercator Digital, with more than 25 years of experience across government, corporate and agency settings. She combines qualitative depth with quantitative rigour and has influenced major HMRC services through research, behavioural groupings, mental models and journey mapping. - Max Borodin, Senior Product Manager at Simple, who explores behavioural design, gamification, conversational coaching and AI in products intended to support long-term behaviour change. He also experiments with using AI to accelerate… Register for this event

⌖ Location TBC · National Space Centre, Leicester, UK

Hosted by Festival of AI

Festival of AI 2026 takes place on October 16th at the iconic National Space Centre in Leicester, offering a refreshingly practical approach to artificial intelligence that cuts through the hype and delivers real value. Unlike typical AI conferences that recycle basic ChatGPT introductions, this event is built for action. The day begins with a friendly Introduction to AI to ensure everyone starts from the same foundation, then rapidly transitions into real-world strategy, tactical walkthroughs, and plug-and-play tools you can implement in your business immediately. What Makes This Event Different Every session focuses on actionable insights you can use the next day. You'll explore hands-on workshops with popular AI platforms, discover real-world case studies from businesses successfully using AI, and learn implementation strategies that actually save time and money. Whether you're testing AI tools like Claude and Gemini for the first time or already integrating automation workflows with platforms like Make and n8n, you'll find practical value tailored to your experience level. Who Should Attend This event welcomes everyone from complete beginners to experienced practitioners. The inclusive community approach means solopreneurs, startup founders, enterprise teams, and AI enthusiasts all find relevant takeaways. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by AI jargon or frustrated by theoretical discussions that don't translate to real work, Festival of AI 2026 is designed specifically for you. What You'll Take Away - Implementation frameworks for AI tools that genuinely improve productivity - Real business case studies showing measurable ROI from AI adoption - Hands-on experience with cutting-edge AI platforms and automation tools - Networking connections with fellow AI practitioners and innovators - Strategic approaches for integrating AI into existing workflows - Forward-looking insights on AI trends that matter for your business The National Space Centre provides an inspiring backdrop for a day focused on innovation and practical learning. From strategy sessions to tactical workshops, every element is designed to ensure you leave thinking: "That was the most useful day I've ever spent on AI." Register for Festival of AI 2026

⌖ Amsterdam · RAI Amsterdam

Build AI applications and agents at this free hybrid hackathon, running online from 16–19 October 2026 and on-site in Amsterdam on 19–20 October. The TechEx Amsterdam Hackathon is the official hackathon of AI & Big Data Expo Europe, organised by TechEx Events and lablab.ai. It gives participants the opportunity to create real AI projects in the context of one of Europe’s largest enterprise technology events, and, if approved for the in-person experience, present their work live at the expo. Build across enterprise technology Rather than limiting participants to a single use case, the hackathon invites projects spanning a broad range of connected technologies. You can develop AI applications and agents focused on: - Artificial intelligence and big data - Cybersecurity - Cloud technology and data infrastructure - Internet of Things and edge computing - Automation - Digital transformation This makes the event particularly relevant to AI builders, agent developers, technologists and product creators interested in applying emerging technology to practical enterprise challenges. The page does not specify a required experience level, but the emphasis is firmly on building and showcasing a working project. A two-stage hybrid format The programme combines a remote build period with an optional on-site experience: - 16–19 October: build your project online - 19–20 October: approved participants attend the on-site portion at RAI Amsterdam The physical venue is RAI Amsterdam, Europaplein 24, 1078 GZ Amsterdam, placing selected teams directly inside the AI & Big Data Expo Europe environment. The live showcase is a distinctive opportunity to put your AI application or agent in front of people attending a major enterprise technology expo. On-site participation is subject to approval. Participants should also plan their logistics carefully: travel and accommodation are not covered by the organisers. Those taking part remotely can use the online build window, while the lablab.ai Discord community provides access to mentors and the event team. Register for the TechEx Amsterdam Hackathon

⌖ Southampton · Eagle Labs

Hosted by University of Southampton AI Society

SotonShip 26 is a free, three-day applied-AI hackathon bringing 200+ builders to Eagle Labs in Southampton from 16–18 October 2026. Presented by the University of Southampton AI Society, the event has a direct mission: “Stop learning AI. Start shipping it.” Rather than focusing on AI theory alone, SotonShip creates a dedicated environment for turning ideas into tangible projects over one intensive weekend. What to expect Running across Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the hackathon gives attendees three days to concentrate on building with AI. The event’s published “Manifest” sets out a three-day schedule, while its wider programme is organised around a mission and five pillars. Full details of those pillars and the timed agenda will be available through the event website. The format is aimed at people who want to move from exploring AI concepts to applying them. It should be particularly relevant to: - Students interested in practical AI development - Developers, makers and technical builders - Founders or aspiring founders testing AI product ideas - Creatives and experimenters looking for a focused shipping deadline - Anyone motivated by hands-on building rather than passive learning The organiser does not specify a required experience level on the published page. What unites attendees is the intention to make and ship: the event is explicitly framed as an applied-AI hackathon, not a conventional lecture series or classroom course. A builder-first hackathon in Southampton SotonShip 26 takes place at Eagle Labs in Southampton. With more than 200 builders expected, it offers a substantial in-person setting for focused project work alongside others who are actively experimenting with AI. The event also has a distinctive retro game and nautical identity. Its website presents the programme as a voyage, with a “Mission”, “Five Pillars”, “Manifest”, “Backers”, “Logbook” and “Boarding Pass”. The playful “insert coin” and “claim your seat” framing reinforces the core message: this is an event designed around participation and action. A logbook from the previous edition, plus dedicated sections for sponsors and partners, can also be explored through the event site. Entry is listed as free, but attendees still need to claim a place. Claim your boarding pass for SotonShip 26