MoT Newcastle: Shift Left Security Testing and We Need to Talk About Cucumber

⌖ Newcastle · Northern Design Centre

Hosted by Digital Pathfinders

Learn how to adopt AI without exposing your organisation to avoidable intellectual property, data or financial risks at this practical Gateshead workshop. Taking place on Wednesday 28 October 2026, from 9:30am to 12:30pm, AI: Myths, Risks & Benefits offers a clear-eyed introduction to the potential downsides of artificial intelligence,and the practical measures small organisations can take to protect themselves. The three-hour, in-person session will be held at the Northern Design Centre in Gateshead, within the wider Newcastle area. What the workshop covers AI can create genuine benefits, but organisations may adopt it without fully understanding what happens to their information, content or budget. Rather than relying on hype or technical jargon, this workshop examines common ways AI use can go wrong and what those mistakes could cost. Topics include: - Intellectual property: how businesses can unintentionally hand over valuable ideas or material through everyday use of free AI tools, including services that train on information submitted by users. - Personal information and data exposure: how sensitive information may be revealed, and what that could mean both for your organisation and for the people whose data you hold. - Cost management: why unchecked AI usage can lead to runaway costs and why organisations need to keep an eye on consumption. - Reducing exposure: practical steps that help teams use AI more sensibly while limiting avoidable risks. The emphasis is on helping attendees understand what to watch for before problems arise. By the end of the session, you should have a more grounded view of AI’s risks and benefits, alongside practical ways to approach adoption with greater care. Who should attend? This workshop is designed specifically for small businesses and charities that want to start using AI,or improve how they already use it,without being caught out by hidden consequences. No prior technical knowledge is required, making it suitable for leaders, staff and decision-makers who need an accessible overview rather than a highly technical session. The event is organised by Digital Pathfinders and takes place at Northern Design Centre, Abbott’s Hill, Gateshead NE8 3DF. Register for AI: Myths, Risks & Benefits

⌖ Newcastle

AiX Conference brings AI and product design leaders to Newcastle on 21 April 2027 for a focused day of talks, ideas and networking. Designing with AI starts here This one-day AI × Design conference explores how artificial intelligence is changing the way digital products are designed, built and experienced. Rather than spreading the programme across competing sessions, AiX uses one stage and one track, giving everyone a shared journey through the most important questions facing modern design and product teams. Attendees will hear how practitioners are applying AI in real working environments, discover emerging tools and examine examples of design innovation. The programme centres on two closely connected themes: - Designing AI products: how teams create AI-powered experiences that people can trust and enjoy using - Building with AI: how designers and product teams use AI to move from early ideas towards production more quickly The event is particularly relevant to product designers, design leaders and members of digital product teams who want to understand AI’s practical impact on their craft. It will also appeal to professionals responsible for shaping product experiences, evaluating emerging workflows or helping teams adopt AI thoughtfully. No specific experience level is stated; the emphasis is on industry insight, real-world practice and the changing relationship between AI, design and product development. Speakers announced for 2027 The developing line-up brings together designers and design leaders working across banking, employee benefits, sustainability software and technology products: - Jay Clark, Senior Design Manager at Monzo Bank - Miriam Khenissi, Senior Product Designer at Perkbox - Tom Hiskey, Senior Product Designer at EcoOnline - Stephen Patterson, Principal Product Designer at Deck - Paavan Buddhdev, Product Designer at Granola Further speakers are due to be announced as the 2027 programme is refined. Alongside the talks, the conference offers opportunities to connect with the people exploring and shaping AI-led product design. Its single-track format creates common ground for conversations throughout the day, making it easier to compare approaches, discuss lessons from the stage and build relationships with peers facing similar design challenges.… Register for this event

⌖ Newcastle · The Catalyst

Hosted by Jumping Rivers

AI in Production 2027 brings practitioners to The Catalyst in Newcastle on 10–11 June to share real-world lessons from deployed AI and machine learning systems. The conference opens with workshops on Thursday, followed by a full Friday programme of standard talks and lightning talks. Its focus is firmly on AI systems used beyond the people who built them, not speculative predictions, standalone benchmarks or polished product pitches. Call for speakers Jumping Rivers is accepting abstracts until 29 January 2027. Proposed talks can explore: - Deployment, serving, rollouts and rollbacks - Monitoring, observability, drift and feedback loops - Evaluation, human review, red-teaming and guardrails - RAG pipelines, agents and assistants in production - Cost, latency, caching and model-selection trade-offs - Production incidents and the lessons that followed - Responsible AI, regulation, governance and liability - Ownership and collaboration across technical teams Strong abstracts should describe a specific system, a consequential decision or turning point, what went wrong, and one clear takeaway supported by evidence where possible. Work in progress, internal tools, small-scale systems and discontinued projects are all welcome, and first-time speakers are explicitly encouraged. Standard sessions run for approximately 25 minutes, including five minutes for questions. Lightning talks last six minutes, use slides that advance automatically every 20 seconds and conclude with one question. Standard-talk speakers receive a free conference ticket. Submit a title and an abstract of up to 300 words through the speaker submission form. Applicants should hear back within two months of the deadline, and likely sooner. View conference details and registration information

⌖ Location TBC · Fenton Manor Sports Complex, Fenton, England

Hosted by Robots Live

Robots Live! Stoke brings the adrenaline-fueled world of combat robotics to Fenton Manor Sports Complex on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th October 2026. This live show features mechanical warriors from BBC's Robot Wars competing in intense battles that showcase the cutting edge of engineering and robotics. What to Expect Witness powerful robots equipped with devastating weaponry — from explosive flippers to fearsome axes — as they clash in epic showdowns. These metal warriors will demonstrate their unique designs, strategies, and sheer destructive power in matches that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the show. The event promises excitement for all ages, whether you're a dedicated robotics enthusiast or simply curious about combat engineering. Watch as these mechanical marvels demonstrate their agility, power, and innovative design in real-time battles that bring television entertainment to life. Interactive Experience Robots Live! Stoke goes beyond spectating — it offers an interactive experience that gets you up close with the robots and their creators. Meet the talented engineers who design and build these incredible machines, learn about the technology and strategy behind each robot, and discover what makes these mechanical competitors tick. VIP ticket holders receive exclusive access to meet-and-greet opportunities, allowing you to get even closer to the robots, ask questions directly to the engineering teams, and take photos with these mechanical marvels. Event Details - Dates: Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th October 2026 - Venue: Fenton Manor Sports Complex, City Road, Fenton ST4 2RR - Doors: Open approximately 40 minutes before show time - Format: In-person live combat robotics show - Suitable for: All ages (child tickets available) The venue provides disabled seating and carer tickets. Merchandise will be available for purchase, and parking is accessible at the sports complex. Don't miss this unforgettable celebration of robotics, engineering, and competitive combat that brings BBC Robot Wars stars to life right before your eyes. Register for Robots Live! Stoke

⌖ Barcelona · Barcelona, Spain

Hosted by Claude Community Events

Explore Claude, build practical AI projects and meet women in tech over coffee in Barcelona on 24 October 2026. This relaxed, hands-on morning is designed for anyone opening Claude for the first time as well as existing users who want to go deeper. Bring your laptop, a project or task you would like to improve, and plenty of questions. You’ll have room to experiment, exchange ideas and work towards something you can use beyond the meetup. Who it’s for The event centres women in tech and welcomes people who want to build alongside them, including: - Developers and designers - Product leaders and founders - Data professionals and researchers - Operators and anyone curious about practical AI The meetup runs 10:00am–1:00pm GMT+2 on Saturday 24 October in Barcelona. Expect an informal mix of building, conversation, coffee and networking rather than a published talk agenda. Your host is Fernanda Grace Lins, a Claude Ambassador and global growth and partnerships leader with experience across AI, cybersecurity, SaaS, proptech and international markets. The event is presented by Claude Community Events. The event is currently full, but you can join the waitlist. The exact address is shared with registered attendees. Join the event waitlist.

Claude

⌖ Chiang Mai · The Kannas Hotel

Hosted by Marcus S. and nick f.

AI Engineers Weekly Chiang Mai is a coffee meetup for coders exploring current AI technology, held on 24 October 2026 from 10:00–12:00 ICT at The Kannas Hotel. Explore the latest AI technology with fellow coders This informal Saturday meetup creates a regular space for developers to examine the latest AI technology of the week, discuss what is changing and experiment with it together. Rather than following a fixed lecture programme, the session centres on shared exploration: attendees can raise new developments, compare perspectives and play around with emerging technology in the company of other AI-minded builders. The meetup is part of a weekly series taking place every Saturday until 1 January 2027. That recurring format makes it suitable both for visitors who want to attend a single session and local developers looking for an ongoing community in Chiang Mai. What to expect The two-hour format combines coffee, technical conversation and practical experimentation. The stated focus is to: - Check out noteworthy AI technology from the preceding week - Discuss new developments with other coders - Experiment with the technology during the meetup - Learn through the knowledge and experience of fellow attendees There is also room to bring along and demonstrate something relevant. If you plan to use your computer for a demo or hands-on exploration, arrive with it fully charged: the venue does not provide charging facilities. Who is it for? Coders of all experience levels are welcome. You do not need to be an established AI engineer to take part; the organisers emphasise learning from one another. The meetup should particularly appeal to developers, technical makers and curious programmers who want a conversational, community-led way to keep up with fast-moving AI technology. Hosted by Marcus S. and nick f., the session is organised through the AI Engineers in Thailand group. Marcus is identified by Meetup as a Super Organizer. Location and timing The meetup runs from 10:00 to 12:00 ICT on Saturday, 24 October 2026 at The Kannas Hotel, 308 Lampang–Chiang Mai Superhighway, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50300. Register for AI Engineers Weekly Chiang Mai