A Full Day Built Around Your Next Step
Three tracks. Dozens of sessions. One day at the Victoria Conference Centre — Thursday, November 5, 2026.
Pick the Path That Fits Where You Are
Every attendee can move between tracks throughout the day. The descriptions below are a guide to help you plan.
Sessions in progress
The full timetable lands here as sessions are confirmed.
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TRACK 1
Start Here
Practical AI for curious beginners. Prompting skills, everyday tools, and real-world uses to get you moving with confidence.
TRACK 2
Build Deeper
Advanced technical topics for developers and architects. Local LLMs, security, coding practices, and AI infrastructure.
TRACK 3
Work Smarter
AI for business, writing, and creativity. Practical applications for professionals ready to work faster and think bigger.
Full-Day Timetable
A preview of the Thursday, November 5 schedule. Session titles and speakers populate in each cell as they’re confirmed.
AI for Video Production & Editing: From Trend Mining to Final Delivery
Saanich
Anthony Bortolussi Create Video
Abstract AI is now being used across the full video production process, from trend research and concept development to visual generation, editing, audio, translation, and final delivery. In this session,…
Power Back to Communities: AI Alignment for Open Source
Oak Bay
Emma Irwin Open Practice Consulting
AI is possible because open communities have collaborated and shared openly licensed code and content. AI depends on thousands of open source projects to function and on countless open resources…
AI Advancements in Antibody-Based Drug Development: From Target to Clinical Candidate
Main Theatre
Sid Srinivasan Crux Intelligence
Abstract Why can we develop a COVID-19 vaccine in under a year, but cancer drugs still take a decade and billions of dollars? This talk takes you through the full…
The 3-Person Company That Shouldn’t Exist: Building an AI-Enhanced Enterprise from the Ground Up
Saanich
Rob Parker PrimeHealth
Abstract Three people. One complex, regulated, enterprise-grade platform. Live deployments in BC health authorities. This isn't a thought experiment — it's what PrimeHealth built. PrimeHealth is a secure SaaS platform…
Field Notes From the Rooms Where AI Gets Real
Main Theatre
Kris Krüg BC + AI Ecosystem Association
Abstract AI gets real in rooms, not headlines. This fast-paced talk brings short stories from the field: boardrooms, classrooms, community halls, startups, creative studios, newsrooms, and public-sector conversations where AI…
The Future of the Business Operating System
Esquimalt
Rachel Krayenhoff Ingenuity Labs
Abstract Ninety-three percent of Canadian business leaders use or pilot AI. Only two percent report measurable returns. The tools are not the problem. Most businesses are stuck in the same…
AI Contracts & Due Diligence: What Operators, Founders, and Investors Need to Know
Saanich
Jacques Du Plessis Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Houtan Mashinchi Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Abstract Whether you're signing an AI vendor agreement or raising your first round, the commercial and legal groundwork matters more than most people realize. This panel tackles two sides of…
Your Workflows Are Not Enterprise AI: Building AI-Ready Gold/Semantic
Oak Bay
Miles Garvey Brabble Gabriel Gaultier Missing Link Analytics
Abstract: Your workflows are NOT Enterprise AI by default. AI needs governed, trusted, and context-rich data to deliver reliable outcomes at scale. This session explores how the Gold and Semantic…
The Sovereignty Curve: The AI Strategy You’ll Wish You’d Started Today
Esquimalt
Andrea Shillington CEO & Co-Founder, Comfrey AI Bibi Brahim CTO & Co-Founder, Comfrey AI
Abstract For three years the industry optimized one variable: accuracy. That race is ending. When open models match and beat the closed frontier, accuracy stops being a moat and becomes…
Why AI Fails at Small Businesses (And How the Winners Get It Right)
Saanich
Arsh Singh What Works Marketing & PlusROI Online Marketing Sheila Wynne Fung AI Implementation Consultant Ian Slipp Rubric Marketing Owen Mead-Robins Founder
Abstract Most small businesses that adopt AI don't get the results they were promised. The tools usually work fine. The business underneath them often doesn't. This panel is about what…
The Attacker’s Lens: Threat Modeling for AI and Agentic Systems
Oak Bay
Tom Myer Cybersecurity Principal
Abstract Most teams building with AI are using security playbooks written before AI existed. That's a problem. Modern AI systems don't just answer questions — they browse the web, run…
Growing Your Career and Business with AI: Surviving and Thriving in an AI Era
Main Theatre
Robert Cooper PlusROI Online Marketing Peter Scott Centre for AI in Canadian Learning Christine Tatham Chief People Officer, Redbrick Eric McLachlan Revela Jennifer Hufnagel AI Educator and Trainer
Abstract AI is creating winners and losers in careers and businesses. The shift is already underway. This panel is about staying on the right side of it. Rob Cooper, Victoria…