Hey AI LA Community,
As we head into October, the questions around AI are becoming more concrete. At Mattel, we’ll explore what it could mean for digital play; at Life Summit, how it can fit the realities of patient care. Heather Sit’s conversation at Data Con LA brings another question into focus: who gets left out when the data doesn’t tell the whole story? First, we’re kicking off the weekend at Moonshots LIVE, where more than $5 million in awards will be decided onstage this Friday.
In this newsletter edition, explore:
More Than $5 Million in Awards, Decided in Real Time at Moonshots LIVE
September 25 | Downtown Los Angeles
This Friday, two global XPRIZE competitions will reach their conclusion onstage at Moonshots LIVE in downtown Los Angeles. The one-night show, hosted by Peter Diamandis, will award more than $5 million to people building ambitious ideas for the future—with winners decided live.
AI LA community members can skip the application process and choose their preferred admission tier. A limited number of scholarship-level seats are also available for builders under 25.
AI LA Teams Up with Mattel Digital Studios
October 7 | 4:00–8:00 PM | Mattel HQ, El Segundo
What does AI make possible for the next generation of digital gaming and play? AI LA and Mattel are bringing a select group of developers, engineers, and technical builders to Mattel HQ to explore that question with the teams doing the work. The evening includes a conversation with Mattel’s technology leaders, a live demo, networking, and a look at open AI development roles.
Registration Open for Life Summit 2026: Health by Design
November 14 | BioscienceLA
AI can promise better healthcare, but its impact depends on how well it fits the lives of patients and the work of care teams. That issue is at the heart of AI LA’s annual Life Summit on November 14. Under the theme Health by Design: AI and the Future of Care, leaders across healthcare, research, and the startup community will examine what it takes to turn emerging technology into meaningful progress. The full agenda is coming soon. Registration is now open.
Where to Find AI LA During Tech Week in October
From an Oktoberfest-inspired gathering in Venice to an aerospace and defense panel at The BR-DGE in El Segundo, AI LA’s LA Tech Week lineup will bring together people working across AI and deep tech. The week also includes the AI LAX Summit at Google Playa Vista, with opportunities throughout the week to exchange ideas and meet others shaping what comes next.
Watch: Heather Sit on Women in Data & AI Panel
What happens when the data behind an AI system leaves people out? Last month during Data Con LA, our Executive Director, Heather Sit, joined the Women in Data & AI panel to explore that question alongside leaders in data, technology, and creative work.
Heather shared why understanding the people behind the data matters as much as analyzing it—and how incomplete data can shape real-world outcomes. She also discussed the role of human judgment in responsible AI and how mentorship can open doors to careers people may not yet know exist. The conversation offers thoughtful perspectives for anyone building AI or finding their place in the field.
Monthly AI LA Workshops and Mixers:
Workshop: A New Way to Work
Saturday, October 3, 12:30 PM | Santa Monica
What could you build or improve in your daily work with AI? Jason Baer, Principal AI PM at Adobe, leads a hands-on workshop using Claude to explore new workflows and practical ways to put ideas into action.
Workshop: Turn Your Brand Into a Media Company
Tuesday, October 20, 5:30–8:30 PM | Santa Monica
Join AI LA and Popcorn for a hands-on workshop exploring how agentic AI is changing video production. Adi Sideman, CEO of Popcorn, will showcase how the agentic showrunner helps teams research, create, refine, and publish video—not simply as one-off clips, but as an ongoing stream of content shaped by your brand and guided by human judgement.
AI Policy November Meetup
Wednesday, November 4, 6-8 PM | Highland Park Brewery
Join us for our monthly AI Policy Meetup. This event brings together professionals and enthusiasts from AI, policy, and technology to exchange ideas and explore emerging trends. Whether you’re a policymaker, technologist, researcher, or simply curious about the future of AI, all are welcome to join the conversation.
Community Events
OpenClaw 2.0 Hackathon
From September 22 - 28, the AI Worth Using Podcast x OpenClaw 2.0 Hackathon will challenge participants to use OpenClaw 2.0's new multiplayer mode to build a startup's first hire, an agent that owns a real role like SDR or recruiter and does the actual work. First place wins a flight to San Francisco, a spot at AgentCribs on October 6 with Peter Steinberger (creator of OpenClaw) and Tom Preston-Werner, an engraved Mac Mini for the builder, and a second for whoever drives the most real usage of that agent.
Kepler Plan Demo Day
Kepler Plan is a founder program for early-stage startups across North America building in video, audio, 3D and other multimodal AI experiences. It's equity-free with no vendor lock-in, and selected teams get model and API resources from Tencent US and ecosystem partners including MiniMax, PixVerse and Tripo, plus founder sessions and Demo Day exposure to potential customers and investors. The first cohort's Demo Day is October 22 in the Bay Area. A few spots are still open. Register below.
AI & Cinema at the LA Korean Film Festival
How is AI changing who gets to make a movie? On September 25 at 6:00 PM, the LA Korean Film Festival will screen two AI-created films by Korean Academy of Film Arts graduates, followed by a conversation on AI and the creative process. The program is free and open to the public at the Korean Cultural Center Los Angeles. View the festival events and RSVP below.
Behind the Product: How Startups Actually Build
On October 17th, Behind the Product will bring together technical students and early-career builders from across Southern California with founders, CTOs, engineers, investors, and product leaders for a closer look at how products actually get built. The event is organized by AI LA’s IDEAS Program Manager, Rita Sargsyan, designed to give attendees a more practical view into the build process, with live audience Q&A and dedicated networking.
Taking place at UCLA, this is a private, application-based event with limited capacity. Register below.
