Information meet up: All you ever wanted to know about Artificial Intelligence
Some of those who attended previous information sessions hosted by Google Developer Group (GDG) Portlaoise
The Google Developer Group (GDG) Portlaoise has announced the return of the hugely popular ‘Build With AI’ event for 2025.
GDG Portlaoise is a community-driven group that provides a platform for developers, tech enthusiasts and businesses to connect, learn, and grow. It organises meetups, workshops and events on a variety of technology related topics such as AI, cloud computing, web development, and more.
The group who are passionate about fostering a vibrant tech community in Portlaoise and the surrounding region, say that following the success of last year’s event, this year's event will cater to a broader audience, from tech professionals to local businesses, offering valuable insights into the world of Artificial Intelligence and its practical applications.
The event takes place on Thursday 20 February 20 from 5.30pm to 8.30pm at FRS Recruitment, The CUBE, 18 Church Street, Portlaoise and promises to be an engaging evening of talks, networking and refreshments designed to empower attendees with AI knowledge and skills.
The events begins with complimentary pizza and refreshments where those in attendance can network and settle in.
Software Developer Jordan Harrison from Charles River Labs will the give a presentation on ‘Affordable Efficiency: Google Gemini, Time-Saving AI for your Small Business.’
This beginner-friendly talk will focus on how non-technical individuals can leverage chat-based AI applications like Google Gemini to boost efficiency and save time in their small businesses. Attendees will learn the basics of prompt engineering and how to effectively use Large Language Models (LLMs) to achieve desired outcomes.
Following on from this, Engineering Leader and AI Innovation at Marsh McLennan Niall Maher will talk about how to cut through the hype around AI agents and focus on practical, real-world applications. Attendees will learn about the different types of agents, their capabilities, and how to build and deploy them effectively in production environments.
The last speaker on the night will be Shubhangi Goyal a Data Scientist at ICS AI. He will talk on ‘Crafting LLM applications: Building RAG based applications’
He will be exploring the process of building Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) applications using Large Language Models (LLMs).
Those in attendance will learn how to connect LLMs to external data sources, retrieve relevant information, and generate accurate and informative responses.
The night will conclude with more networking opportunities providing attendees with the chance to connect with fellow AI enthusiasts, speakers and industry professionals.
Jordan Harrison from GDG Portlaoise Founder and Community Lead said: “We’re excited to bring 'Build With AI' back to Portlaoise for 2025. This year, we’ve focused on creating a program that’s accessible and relevant to everyone, regardless of their technical expertise. We believe AI has the potential to transform businesses and daily life and we’re committed to empowering our community with the knowledge to harness its power.”
You can secure a place by registering at https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-portlaoise-presents-build-with-ai-2025/
