Public Sector AI Hackathon Scotland 2026

⌖ Edinburgh · Cumberland Bar

Hosted by AI Social Discussion Group

The AI Social Discussion Group’s first meet-up brings people together for an informal evening of AI conversation at Cumberland Bar in Edinburgh. Hosted by Nick B., this inaugural gathering runs from 7:00pm to 9:00pm BST on Monday, 19 October 2026. It takes place at Cumberland Bar, 1–3 Cumberland Street, Edinburgh. The event is focused on social discussion around AI and offers attendees an opportunity to meet fellow members of the new community. No detailed agenda, named discussion topics or additional speakers have been published, so expect an open, informal meet-up rather than a structured workshop or programme of talks. Attendees can also access the Meetup event chat to connect with others before the gathering begins. Learn more about the AI Social Discussion Group. Register for the meet-up

⌖ Edinburgh · Perk

Hosted by Scottish Technology Club

EdinburghJS returns to Edinburgh on 20 October 2026 for two practical talks on self-editing websites and internal tools. What to expect This October meetup brings together developers and technologists interested in how modern software can manage content and support work behind the scenes. Across the evening, two speakers will explore distinct but complementary building challenges: - Phil Holden will speak about building a self-editing website. - Alexey Golev will discuss building internal tools. The programme offers an opportunity to hear directly from practitioners tackling real product and engineering problems. The self-editing website session should be especially relevant to people interested in content-driven web experiences, while the internal tools talk will appeal to anyone building software that improves organisational workflows and operations. The event takes place at Perk, which is continuing its sponsorship of EdinburghJS by providing both the venue and catering. Doors open at 6:30pm on Tuesday 20 October, with the meetup running until 9:30pm. Who is it for? EdinburghJS is aimed at developers and members of Scotland’s wider technology community. This edition will be particularly useful for web developers, software engineers, product builders and people curious about practical approaches to websites and business-facing tools. The page does not specify a required experience level, making the meetup a useful place to hear new ideas, compare approaches and connect with other local technologists. Alongside the talks, the in-person format provides time to meet fellow attendees over the catering supplied by Perk. The meetup is presented by the Scottish Technology Club, a community for technologists in and connected to Scotland. The club also runs regular developer events, publishes a weekly bulletin covering events, content and jobs across Scotland, and maintains an active Discord server. View the event and registration details

Sponsors: Perk

⌖ Edinburgh · Edinburgh Futures Institute, The University of Edinburgh

Hosted by Traveltech

University of Edinburgh students can spend a full day solving real-world festival challenges at this collaborative arts, culture and technology hackathon. Taking place on Friday 30 October 2026, from 9am to 5pm, the in-person event brings innovators, artists, developers, designers and festival enthusiasts together at the Edinburgh Futures Institute in Edinburgh. What to expect Festival partners will provide challenge prompts based on pressing issues faced by the Edinburgh Festivals. Participants will form multidisciplinary teams, combine their different perspectives and develop creative solutions designed to enhance the festival experience. The programme also includes insights from festival organisers and data visualisation leaders, covering challenges, opportunities and emerging directions across cultural events. Projects may explore how technology can help festivals reach wider audiences, strengthen their communities and make a more positive environmental impact. No specific technical experience requirement is stated; coders, designers and arts enthusiasts are all encouraged to contribute. Practical details: - Room 2.55, Floor 2, Edinburgh Futures Institute - 1 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9EF - Eight-hour, in-person format - Food and refreshments provided - Organised by Traveltech Get tickets for the hackathon

⌖ Edinburgh · Playfair Library Hall

Hosted by PauseAI UK

A Scotland-focused panel on AI responsibility brings politicians and technical and policy experts to Edinburgh on 1 November 2026. Hosted by PauseAI Scotland at the University of Edinburgh’s Playfair Library Hall, this structured discussion will examine a pressing question: who is responsible when AI goes wrong? Panellists will consider how Scotland’s political, technical and policy communities are modelling AI’s threats, uncertainties, opportunities and possible responses. The event description contrasts AI governance with tightly regulated fields such as aviation, pharmaceuticals and nuclear technology. It cites a 2026 UN report on AI, warnings from frontier AI professionals and a reported AI model evaluation security incident as context for the debate. Schedule - 13:30: Doors open - 14:00: Welcome and keynote - 14:30: Panel discussion - 15:30: Planned break - 15:45: Audience Q&A - 16:00: Closing and networking, with light refreshments The second half of the discussion is dedicated to audience questions, followed by informal conversation between attendees and panellists. The event is suited to anyone interested in AI safety, public policy and accountability; no specific experience level is stated. Individual panellists have not yet been published on the event page. The event takes place at Playfair Library Hall, University of Edinburgh, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, from 1:30pm–4:30pm GMT. Learn more about the organiser at PauseAI UK. Register for the panel discussion

⌖ Bangkok · SCBX NEXT TECH

Hosted by AI Engineers in Thailand

Explore the week’s latest AI technology with fellow coders at this informal, hands-on meetup in Bangkok. Hosted by AI Engineers in Thailand, the session takes place on Saturday, 17 October 2026, from 10:00am to 1:00pm ICT at SCBX NEXT TECH, 4th Floor, Siam Paragon. It forms part of a weekly Saturday series running until 26 December 2026. Over coffee, attendees will discuss notable AI developments from the week and experiment with the technology together. The meetup is open to coders of every experience level, with an emphasis on learning from one another rather than following a formal published agenda. If you would like to demonstrate something, bring your computer and charge it beforehand, as access to charging points may not be available. Register for the AI Engineers Meetup Bangkok

◎ Online

Hosted by Global Institute of Artificial Intelligence - Melbourne

Explore how organisations can govern agentic AI when autonomous systems can plan, use tools, access data and act across enterprise environments. Hosted online by the Global Institute of Artificial Intelligence – Melbourne, this 90-minute live session takes place on Saturday, 17 October 2026 at 6:00 PM. Founder Sandeep Bhalekar will examine how AI governance must evolve as systems move beyond answering questions and gain the authority to execute tasks. What you’ll learn - How agentic and autonomous AI creates new governance challenges - How to define what an AI may access, decide, execute or escalate - Where human approval and intervention should remain mandatory - Why agent identity, access controls and permission boundaries matter - How to establish guardrails, operational limits and approval checkpoints - How logging, traceability, evaluation and ownership support accountability - The additional governance challenges posed by collaborating multi-agent systems The format combines practical examples, governance scenarios and discussion, followed by an open Q&A. It is designed for executives, CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, Chief AI Officers, governance and risk professionals, AI architects, developers, product leaders, consultants and practitioners working with enterprise AI or autonomous systems. Attendees must also complete the event confirmation form. The online access link is visible to attendees. Register for this event on Meetup