Another Excellent Meetup! 🎉

Vancouver AI Community Meetup #11: Where AI Meets Creative Innovation

The Vancouver AI Community returned to the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre on November 27, 2024, for their 11th meetup—a gathering that promised to explore the cutting-edge intersections of artificial intelligence, creative technology, and human innovation.

Featured Speakers & Presentations

Wilson J. Tang - CEO/Designer at Yumebau Inc. and Kabam co-founder, brought his entertainment industry expertise with “Keeping Humans in The Loop: AI in Entertainment Industry.” With credits spanning Invincible, Star Wars Episode 2, and A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Tang shared insights on maintaining human agency in AI-driven creative processes.

Vanessa J. Sanchez tackled the practical side of AI innovation with “AI Funding: Grants, Credits, and Capital,” providing essential guidance for entrepreneurs and researchers seeking to finance their AI ventures.

Kevin Friel delivered “Democratizing Hollywood-Grade Visual Effects,” showcasing updates to his GenAI short film ‘Shepherds’—a psycho-spiritual-sci-fi exploration featuring mysterious robot orbs. Friel demonstrated how cutting-edge tools are making professional-grade visual effects accessible to independent creators.

Sian Flanagan & Peter Bowles presented live immersive experiences combining generative AI with audio-reactive visuals, fusing music, film, and poetic performance using StreamDiffusion, ComfyUI, and TouchDesigner for multi-sensory experiences.

Jackson Wu (Shyang) rounded out the evening with an innovative beatboxing performance, pushing the boundaries of human vocal expression.

Community Vision

The Vancouver AI Community positions itself as more than a typical tech meetup—it’s described as “a movement for people who actually care about where this tech is going.” The community emphasizes authentic connections between AI researchers, artists, and innovators who are actively shaping the field rather than just discussing it.

Looking Ahead

#VAI11 was part of an ambitious 2024-2025 schedule running monthly through December 2025, with the next meetup (#VAI12) scheduled for December 14, 2024. The community continues to foster cross-pollination between creativity and technology, creating a space where “new projects, unlikely collaborations, and bold ideas are born.”

The event exemplified Vancouver’s growing position as a hub for AI innovation, bringing together diverse voices to explore how artificial intelligence can enhance rather than replace human creativity.