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New happy hours, a Masterclass and Earth Summit beckons climate fans
March brings a host of diverse offerings from music, to AI evangelism to Claude Code
Hey AI LA Community,
We hope you are enjoying the lighter days. It almost feels like spring and with that energy comes a stacked March, full of new programming… including a masterclass based on the feedback we received from you!
We are diversifying our happy hour game across different venues in LA, AND hosting our first queer meetup in partnership with StartOut. There is something for everyone whether you live on the east side, central or in the South Bay.
Finally… Earth Day arrives in April and with it brings our annual Earth Summit. Buy your discounted early bird tickets to hop on this climate extravaganza.
Have a great Valenti
Announcing a Masterclass!
AI LA+ Discounts. Free for Advocates.
This course examines how organizations actually implement AI in day‑to‑day work. It covers how teams identify appropriate AI use cases, setup operating models to support adoption, define roles and responsibilities, manage risk and governance, and decide what success looks like. Participants will study how AI moves from individual experimentation to shared practice, how internal champions enable adoption across functions, and how organizations measure impact and plan next steps. The focus is on practical structures, decision frameworks, and patterns used inside real companies, rather than tools or technical implementation.
For a sneak preview of the content, join Jason at our Building AI Capability in the Organization event.
Upcoming AI Innovation Events
Claude Code for Non-Engineers
Saturday, March 14th: 12:00 - 3:00 PM | Venice
Many people want to use AI to build software or internal tools but struggle to get reliable results—especially without a technical background.
In this hands-on workshop, Vincent Vu, a software engineer at Uplimit (an AI-native learning platform), will teach a practical, repeatable way to work with Claude Code based on real-world experience building internal tools and product features. Participants will learn how to break ideas into clear steps, write effective requirements, and work incrementally so AI output stays understandable, testable, and useful.
The final hour will be a guided hack session where attendees can build something of their own using Claude Code, with live support and feedback from Vincent and Fil from the AI LA team.
Building AI Capability in the Organization
Monday, March 16th: 6:30 - 8:00 PM | Venice
Join three tech professionals who are driving AI adoption in very different contexts: inside a major enterprise, across client organizations as a consultant, and within a fast-moving startup. This panel explores what it actually takes to move AI from individual experimentation to organizational capability—how they identify viable use cases, build internal support, navigate governance and risk, and measure what's working. If you're leading AI initiatives in your organization or want to position yourself to do this role, this conversation will give you frameworks and patterns you can use immediately.
The Role of the Artist in the Age of AI
Thursday, March 26th: 6:30 - 9:00 PM | Venice
Composer, Emmy Award Winner and Venture Capitalist, Lucas Cantor Santiago, will discuss the ideas featured in his new book, Unfinished: The Role of the Artist in the age of AI. Come enjoy a discussion about the meaning and purpose of art and technology.
For those interested in buying Lucas’s book, you may find it on Amazon and elsewhere.
Discounted Early Bird Tickets on Sale Now!
Earth Summit 2026
Wednesday, April 8th: 2:30 - 8:00 PM | Venice
Join AILA’s 7th Earth Summit, to examine the technologies, policies, and ideas shaping our climate future. From artificial intelligence to breakthrough materials science, from state climate policy to investment strategies— explore the full spectrum of how we adapt to our changing planet.
Can we innovate our way to a sustainable future? Earth Summit brings real data and diverse perspectives about how California addresses climate challenges through policy and technology. What are the actual costs and benefits? Where are the greatest opportunities?
Partner Event
AlphaPersuade Summit
Thursday, March 26th: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Irvine
The AlphaPersuade AI Summit is back. One day. Big ideas. Real conversations about AI’s growing power to influence how we think and act. Join top minds across industry, policy, and research to explore what’s changed—and what comes next for persuasion in AI.
15% Discount Code for Full Day Pass! AILA2026
Free Happy Hours and Meetups
Comfy UI Meetup
Thursday, February 19th: 6:00 - 9:00 PM | Venice
Connect with fellow enthusiasts and dive deeper into the creators, models, and startups building on top of ComfyUI.
Aerospace Meetup
Thursday, February 26th: 6:00 - 8:00 PM | El Segundo
Calling all aerospace professionals, space dreamers, and anyone fascinated by flight! Join us at Rock & Brews in El Segundo for a relaxed evening of lively conversation about everything that soars—within Earth’s atmosphere and far beyond.
Whether you’re designing the next aircraft or captivated by deep-space exploration, this meetup is for you.
AI Policy Meetup
Wednesday, March 4th: 6:00 - 8:00 PM | Chinatown
Join us for an AI Policy Mixer at a new location in Chinatown at the Highland Park Brewery! 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.
Out in AI Happy Hour
Wednesday, March 11th: 6:00 - 8:00 PM | Culver City
AI LA is teaming up with StartOut, whose mission is to increase success for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, to host our first queer happy hour! Come sip on a cocktail while talking AI startup valuations or trade bets on Drag Race S18. All are welcome.
AI, Art & Us with Dr. Maya Ackerman Recap
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AI LA hosted Dr. Maya Ackerman to speak about her book, Creative Machines, exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and human creativity.
Dr. Ackerman presented her vision of "Humble Creative Machines"—AI as a creative partner that expands rather than replaces human potential. Through both technical insights and personal reflections, she argued that technology should support human agency and artistic integrity, not supplant them.
The talk resonated across disciplines, from artists and technologists to finance professionals, all finding applications for AI as a collaborative tool while maintaining human accountability and creative ownership.
If you enjoyed this event or missed out on this creative talk, come out to Lucas Santiago’s The Role of the Artist in the Age of AI.
Join AI LA+ and save $400+ on events
Attend just 6 events per year and the membership pays for itself. Plus free workshops, mixers and exclusive content will be yours!
Not a member yet? Join our community to unlock this offer and gain access to a full year of events, networking, and opportunities.
These incredible events are made possible thanks to our AI LA+ members, whose support has fueled our growth. Want to help shape the future of AI LA while enjoying exclusive perks? Consider joining AI LA+ and growing with us!
What we are reading
You may have seen on LinkedIn I finished my AGI Strategy course from BlueDot Impact. For those interested in learning about how to get into AI safety research, this is a comprehensive article.
Fil isn’t reading this week. Instead, he’s coding and building out our new website!