Nottingham DS&AI Meetup

18:00 - Doors Open
18:15 - Talk starts
20:30 - Closing Time

This month we have two connected talks, exploring AI from two different angles.

Elephant in the Room
By Gary Clucas.
In this presentation, I’ll look at AI from a practical, real-world perspective rather than from hype or fear. I’ll address three key questions: will AI take our jobs, what is AI slop, and will AI take over the world? I’ll then share a real use case from my own trading dashboard stack, showing how AI agents can support data analysis, pattern recognition, journaling, and decision-making. The aim is to make AI feel clearer, more useful, and less intimidating.

I’m Gary Clucas, a writer, financial trader, and AI builder. My trading background has shaped how I use AI: looking for practical systems, clear signals, managed risk, and real-world usefulness rather than hype.

AI & Automation in Everyday Business and Life
By Lea Hart
In this presentation, I’ll show practical examples of how I use AI agents and automations in small business, marketing, content, project management and everyday planning. I’ll share real use cases from my own work and systems, including business workflows, website/product development, Notion project management and everyday automations.

I’m Lea, an AI & Automation consultant with a background in business analysis, project management, digital products and process optimisation. I help small businesses use AI agents and automation to simplify workflows, build systems and reduce repetitive work.

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Pizza are included! 🍕but you will need to bring your own drink.

Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/fhTdHdZju2

Don't forget to listen to Dad the Influencer's podcasts to hear post-talk interviews, (https://dadtheinfluencer.co.uk/)

This is an in-person event with a speaker/workshop followed by socialising/networking opportunity and usually a follow-up at the pub.
Please note: while we should always be in the Newton Building, the specific room might change. Check the location details below for confirmation.

Photos are taken at the event, if you don't want your photo online please let an event organiser know.

Contact ben@dadtheinfluencer.co.uk if you have any questions.

Special thanks to our sponsors:
Pizzas are generously offered by our sponsor Rebel Recruiters – Specialists in Tech Recruitment. The most ethical, honest, and quality-driven bunch of tech recruiters you’re likely to meet. Looking to hire? Looking to be hired? Contact Mica Bell (also one of our co-organisers, she’ll be at the event!) at Rebel for all your recruitment needs.

CBIT is a multidisciplinary centre that bridges education, applied research, and industry to drive practical business and societal transformation. CBIT Venture Builder supports founders and innovation-led SMEs to design, build, and scale investable ventures through hands-on venture building and commercialisation support. We are also the hosts of the UK's first SME focused AI conference "Transforming SMEs with AI" - a practitioner-led conference focused on helping SMEs move from AI curiosity to real-world adoption, impact, and measurable business growth.

Superlawyer - (https://superlawyer.io) - A Nottingham-based legal tech provider offering a practice management, accounting, and drafting solution for modern law firms who want to work smarter. It strips away legacy complexity and replaces it with fast, intuitive tools. From drafting to delivery, Superlawyer helps legal professionals move quicker, think clearer, and focus on the work that truly matters.

Dad the Influencer (https://dadtheinfluencer.co.uk/) — a podcast about travel technology and innovation broad enough to encompass history, art, religion, and politics with interviews, dialogues and monologues, we explore our humanity through travel, the technology that enables it, and ecosystems that encourage elastic thinking and innovation.