The Great AI Spec-Driven Illusion: Why Developers Must Remain Architects

⌖ Montreal · McKinsey Montreal Office

Hosted by McKinsey & Company Canada

Put your AI and problem-solving skills into practice at McKinsey Montréal’s free, one-day hackathon for eligible Québec undergraduate students. Held in person on Saturday, 7 November 2026, the hackathon challenges teams of students from across Québec to address a real-world societal problem and turn their ideas into AI-enabled applications and tools. Participants will learn and apply McKinsey’s approach to structured problem-solving and technology deployment while developing a practical solution with potential for positive impact. During the day, participants will: - Build solutions using AI and other technologies - Collaborate with talented undergraduate students from across Québec - Explore how technology can address a complex, real-world challenge - Gain exposure to McKinsey’s problem-solving methods The event is aimed at curious, collaborative students interested in AI, technology and software engineering. No previous business or consulting experience is required. Applicants must be undergraduate students graduating in 2027 or later. The hackathon takes place at the McKinsey Montreal Office, 1250 Boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest, Suite 4400, in Montreal. Attendance is free. The published application deadline was 18 October 2026 at 11:59pm local time, and registration is now closed. Concordia University and Career Services did not coordinate this event; questions should be directed to McKinsey & Company Canada. View the event page for registration status and full details.

⌖ Montreal · Pavillon Sherbrooke, UQAM

Hosted by Voxel51

Build physical AI applications with FiftyOne at this hands-on robotics and computer vision workshop in Montreal on 10 November 2026. Co-presented by Nebius and Voxel51, this three-hour, in-person meetup combines practical technical learning with time to meet others working across physical AI. The evening runs from 5:30pm to 8:30pm EST in Room SH-3620 at Pavillon Sherbrooke, UQAM. What to expect The programme begins with networking, food and drinks before moving into a hands-on workshop focused on building physical AI applications with FiftyOne. Participants will explore key stages of a real-world computer vision workflow, including: - Curating robotics and sensor datasets - Working with data captured from physical environments - Evaluating vision models against real-world data - Using FiftyOne as part of the development and evaluation process Networking continues after the workshop, giving attendees another opportunity to discuss projects, compare approaches and connect with the local AI community. The session is hosted by Daniel Gural of Voxel51 and Dhruv Diddi of Nebius. This event is particularly relevant to people working with or exploring robotics, sensor data, computer vision and physical AI applications. The listing does not prescribe a specific experience level, but the practical format will be most useful to attendees who want direct exposure to dataset curation and vision-model evaluation rather than a talks-only meetup. What to bring A laptop is required to participate in the hands-on portion. Access to the workshop environment also requires a company, university or government email address. Personal or disposable accounts, including Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook, cannot be used under the platform’s fraud-prevention and compliance policy. Anyone who needs an exception should contact the hosts before the event. Venue and attendance The meetup takes place at Pavillon Sherbrooke, UQAM, Room SH-3620, 200 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, QC H2X 3P2. The venue is in the Quartier des Spectacles and accessible via Place-des-Arts metro. Capacity is limited, so early booking is recommended. Register for the Montreal Physical AI Workshop and Meetup

Sponsors: Nebius

⌖ Montreal · Montreal, Quebec (ADM Montreal show)

Hosted by LIDD

Join LIDD at ADM Montreal 2026, Montréal's premier end-to-end design and manufacturing show, to explore how logistics automation and advanced supply chain strategies can transform your operations. This two-day industry event brings together professionals working at the intersection of advanced manufacturing, automation technology, robotics, and supply chain optimization. Visit LIDD's booth 1724 to connect with Managing Director Raphaël Leite-Corthésy and discuss tailored solutions for growing your business and optimizing your distribution operations. ADM Montreal serves as an all-in-one, industry-wide platform showcasing the latest trends and technologies shaping the future of advanced design and manufacturing. The show spans multiple sectors including automation, robotics, energy efficiency, packaging, plastics, and processing—providing a comprehensive view of how modern supply chains integrate with manufacturing technology. For professionals in food & beverage, hardware, pharmaceutical, and other industries, this event offers valuable insights into facility design, layout optimization, and operational efficiency improvements. What to Expect The LIDD team specializes in end-to-end supply chain transformation, combining design expertise, strategic planning, and technology implementation. At ADM Montreal, you'll have the opportunity to: - Book one-on-one consultations with supply chain experts to discuss your specific business goals and operational challenges - Explore data-driven approaches to facility design and distribution network optimization - Discover strategies for navigating evolving market demands and enhancing supply chain performance - Learn about logistics automation and assess your organization's readiness for transformation Meet the Expert Raphaël Leite-Corthésy leads LIDD's Design & Strategy practice from the Montreal office, where he guides teams in conceiving and implementing profit-efficient facilities. Since joining LIDD in 2016, he has led major projects across Food & Beverage, Hardware, and Pharmaceutical industries. With a B.Eng. in Industrial Engineering and an M.Sc.A. in Operations Research from Polytechnique de Montréal, Raphaël brings deep technical expertise combined with excellent communication skills to help organizations optimize their operations and support future growth. Who Should Attend This event is ideal for supply chain professionals, ope

⌖ Montreal · Palais des congrès de Montréal

Hosted by AAAI

AAAI-27 brings the global artificial intelligence research community to Montréal for eight days of papers, workshops, tutorials, posters and scientific exchange. Taking place 16–23 February 2027 at the Palais des congrès de Montréal in Montreal, the 41st Annual AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence is a major forum for discovering new AI research, discussing emerging challenges and building connections across the field. It is organised by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. What to expect AAAI-27 combines a large academic conference with practical, interactive and community-led formats. The programme is set to include: - Technical paper presentations spanning AI and affiliated disciplines - Invited speakers and senior member presentations - Dedicated tracks covering AI alignment and AI for social impact - Workshops, tutorials and lab sessions for deeper exploration of specialist subjects - Poster sessions, demonstrations and competitions - Exhibit programmes showcasing work from across the AI ecosystem - Opportunities for informal discussion, networking and scientific exchange The breadth of formats gives attendees several ways to participate: hear the latest research presented by its authors, examine projects and results in poster or demonstration settings, build skills through tutorials and labs, and debate focused questions in smaller workshops. Who is it for? The conference is designed for AI researchers, practitioners, scientists, students and engineers, from people beginning an academic career to established members of the field. Alongside the main technical programme, AAAI-27 includes routes for different career stages through its Doctoral Consortium, Undergraduate Consortium, Student Abstract and Poster Program, New Faculty Highlights and Senior Member Presentation Track.… Register for this event

⌖ Frankfurt · The Squaire

AI Week Frankfurt is a five-day applied AI conference in Frankfurt (The Squaire) running Oct 26–30, 2026, featuring Finance, Life Science, and Cross-Industry AI days. It brings together 5,000 visitors, 200+ speakers, and leaders from industry, policy, and technology to explore real-world AI applications, partnerships, and market-ready solutions. The event is designed for decision-makers, builders, and practitioners looking to translate AI strategy into tangible outcomes, with a strong emphasis on practical case studies and actionable insights. What to expect - A global stage hosting AI leaders, policymakers, and engineers focused on delivering measurable business impact - Industry-specific days (Finance, Life Science, Cross-Industry) to surface domain-relevant use cases and ROI - Keynotes, panels, and talks that translate research into practice, plus real-world demonstrations and live AI showcases - Hands-on workshops and training sessions to deepen skills in data, AI deployment, and governance - Substantial networking opportunities to form partnerships, explore pilots, and connect with potential vendors and customers Format and experience - Five days of programming at The Squaire, focused on practical outcomes, collaboration, and market-building strategies - A mix of keynote sessions, breakout tracks, and interactive exchanges designed for executives, product leaders, and technical practitioners - Ample time allocated for partnership discussions, demos, and peer learning across finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and beyond Who should attend - C-suite, VPs, and directors driving AI strategy and adoption - Data scientists, ML engineers, and AI product managers seeking real-world use cases - Government/regulatory professionals and researchers interested in AI policy and industry impact Logistics - Location: The Squaire, Frankfurt - Dates: October 26–30, 2026 - Registration: Site indicates a waitlist and ongoing updates; visit the official site for the latest details and registration information Why this matters AI Week Frankfurt aims to accelerate practical AI adoption by showcasing tangible outcomes, fostering partnerships, and highlighting scalable technologies. It’s a must for teams evaluating AI initiatives, vendors seeking pilots, and leaders wanting to stay ahead of industry shifts. Registration and full program details are available at the event site: https://ai-week-frankfurt.com

⌖ Bangkok

Hosted by The International Conference on Behavioural and Social Computing

BESC 2026 brings AI, NLP and computational social science researchers to Bangkok for a three-day conference on 26–28 October 2026. The International Conference on Behavioural and Social Computing is an interdisciplinary forum for exploring how technology can help researchers understand human behaviour, social interaction and large-scale societal dynamics. Building on editions held annually since 2014, the 2026 conference will connect academic researchers and industry practitioners working across artificial intelligence, natural language processing, computational social science, business, marketing, behavioural psychology and related fields. Research themes The programme will focus on foundational research and emerging approaches within behavioural and social computing. Topics invited by the organisers include: - AI and large language models in social and behavioural computing - LLM-driven agents for social interaction and communication - Agent-based modelling of human behaviour and social dynamics - Generative AI for synthetic behavioural and social data - Multimodal behavioural sensing and analytics - Social network analysis, collective intelligence and social recommendation - Sentiment analysis, argument mining and social media analytics - Online credibility, privacy, security, trust and research ethics - Crowd dynamics, virtual communities and digital humanities - Behaviour change, technology and wellbeing Across three days, attendees can expect research presentations and opportunities to exchange ideas, compare methods and identify future research directions. The conference is particularly relevant to researchers, scientists, scholars, engineers, university practitioners and industry specialists. Its broad scope should suit both established experts and postgraduate researchers seeking exposure to current interdisciplinary work. For prospective authors… Register for this event