This is where the story turns inward. Where we stop pitching and start reflecting on what we’re actually building here in British Columbia. In this clip from…
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Published: · 4:24
This is where the story turns inward. Where we stop pitching and start reflecting on what we’re actually building here in British Columbia.
In this clip from Vancouver AI Meetup #16, Patrick Pennefather (UBC / Emerging Media Lab) shares reflections on a collaborative research project recently published in BC Studies—a study of how this AI community in Vancouver has grown from casual meetups to a full-fledged grassroots movement.
He speaks about:
– What it takes to build a community of practice
– Why values matter when tech outpaces understanding
– And how we sustain something real, beyond hype cycles, funder trends, or lone-wolf thinking
The project—written with Kris Krüg and David Gaertner (Cedar at UBC)—offers a Vancouver-centric look at how human connection, place-based organizing, and mutual aid are shaping the future of AI in BC.
This is part of a bigger story:
Over the past two years, the Vancouver AI Meetup has evolved from 12 people in a warehouse to a 1000+ person ecosystem. Events, meetups, micro-communities, research clusters, ethical tech labs, and open creative infrastructure are forming across the province.
We’re not waiting for permission.
We’re not importing someone else’s version of innovation.
We’re building something grounded—together.
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📍 Filmed live at Vancouver AI Meetup #16
📚 Read the full article in BC Studies (2025): https://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/bcstudies/article/view/199875
🌀 Learn more about the BC + AI Ecosystem: https://bc-ai.net/
#VancouverAI #BCAI #GrassrootsAI #CreativeAI #EthicalAI #CommunityOfPractice #AIEducationBC #BCStudies