What speakers need to know for an AI Builders talk
Table of Contents
Thank you for agreeing to present. We know it takes real time to prepare something good, and we appreciate you making it.
I help run AI Builders Waterloo as a volunteer. Here is what to expect on the night, and what we hope for from your talk.
TL;DR
- You get 10 to 15 minutes, then 5 minutes of Q&A.
- Go technical. Show how you built it, not only what it does.
- Slides are optional. Use them only for what you cannot say out loud.
- Live demos beat recordings. Pre-recorded is fine if that is all you have.
- Connect over USB-C. It carries both audio and video.
- No pitching. No company pitch, no product tour, no brand advertisement.
- Sharing your own work is encouraged. That is the whole point of the night.
- Contact details are welcome. LinkedIn, email, or website. One line at the end.
The format
You get 10 to 15 minutes, then 5 minutes of questions.
The Q&A is not a formality. This is closer to a forum than a one-way talk. Expect the room to push on what you built and why you built it that way.
Go technical
Show how you did it, not only what you made.
The room is full of builders. A demo that ends at a working result teaches very little.
Say what you tried first, and why it failed. Someone should leave able to apply a piece of it to their own work.
Slides are optional
We would rather you skipped slides unless they carry something you cannot say out loud. An architecture diagram, a chart, a before and after.
A terminal, an editor, or the thing itself running usually beats a deck.
Demos
Live demos are better than pre-recorded ones. Pre-recorded is acceptable if that is what you have. A recording that works beats a live demo that does not.
You connect over USB-C, and it carries both audio and video. So if your demo makes sound, the room will hear it.
What we do not want
Sharing your work is a different thing, and we want it. Show what you built and say what it does.
Letting people reach you
Put your LinkedIn, your email, or your website on the last slide or in the chat. One line is plenty.
Contact details are fine. We just do not want the talk itself to be the ad.