Kit Bashing Your Own Personal Assistant

The rapid advancement of local AI and machine learning tools has created exciting opportunities for building personalized virtual assistants. This session explores how you can combine existing open-source components to create a powerful personal assistant with minimal effort.

We'll demonstrate how text-to-speech and speech-to-text libraries enable natural interaction with machines, while tool calling capabilities with LLMs allow your assistant to control your digital environment. You'll learn how small LLMs can run locally on personal computers without requiring cloud infrastructure, and how knowledge graphs and vector databases can be integrated to provide rich contextual understanding.

Join us for a hands-on exploration of the AI/ML landscape that will open your eyes to the possibilities of custom personal assistants and how this technology can transform your daily digital interactions.

Three Stages of AI Adoption

The journey toward AI adoption presents significant challenges for many organizations, from limited technical expertise to rapidly evolving technologies. This session introduces a practical, three-stage framework for implementing machine learning that balances immediate gains with long-term transformation.

We'll explore how organizations can:

- Use Large Language Models through Major Cloud Providers to gain quick insights from existing data
- Progress to building robust data intelligence foundations with structured collection and appropriate tools
- Develop custom ML models that optimize operations and drive competitive advantage

Join us to learn how your organization can navigate the AI landscape methodically, avoiding common pitfalls while maximizing return on investment. We'll provide real-world examples of each stage and practical guidance for determining your organization's readiness to advance to the next level.

AI in Action: Strategic Integration for Smarter Labs

Step into the future of laboratory innovation with an exclusive workshop on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Designed for lab leaders ready to take the leap into cutting-edge technology, this session will provide a practical and engaging introduction to AI and ML, and how to get started integrating it into your lab operations.

Discover how these transformative technologies work and explore actionable strategies to tackle your lab's biggest challenges, such as operational efficiency, streamlining workflows, or future-proofing your organization.

Audience: Lab managers, directors, IT professionals, and scientific leaders looking to explore how AI and ML can revolutionize their operations will find immense value in this workshop. Perfect for those curious about the potential of AI/ML or ready to take the first step in implementation.