I’m being asked by a growing number of people this one question: “I want to get started learning and building AI apps with Python. Should I go with the Python.org distribution, Anaconda, or something else?”
For anyone who wants to learn Python and AI development, my answer is invariably:
Their one installer gets you a LOT of stuff: Not just Python, but also the R programming language, the pip and conda package managers, Jupyter Notebook and Jupyter Lab, and a ridiculous number of installed and optimized Python packages ready to go.
Anaconda is made by people into scientific computing, data science, and machine learning, for people into scientific computing, data science, and machine learning. You have to do way let setup after installing it to get started on your AI journey.
Anaconda is proven. Nearly 40 million people use it, and so do 90% of the Fortune 500.
There’s also Anaconda Cloud, which features an online notebook service (an online interactive coding environment that also makes it easy to share code), articles and online courses, and a big user community.
Anaconda delivers the same great Python programming experience on Linux, macOS, and Windows. If you move between operating systems like I do, or teach Python courses, this is incredibly handy.
Once again — if you’re learning Python for AI development:
ℹ️ Disclaimer: This is NOT a paid promo for Anaconda. I met some of their people at PyCon, but the company has no idea who I am or that I’m doing this, and they certainly don’t know how to put money in my bank account. I’m just a satisfied user who uses it for my own projects and for teaching Python and AI programming.
Mine isn’t even on this graphic! It was PRINT from good ol’ all-caps Microsoft BASIC with line numbers, which used to come built-in to what used to be called “home computers.”
My session was part of Austin Forum on Technology and Society’s third annual AI April, a month of presentations, events, and podcasts dedicated to AI capabilities, applications, future impacts, challenges, and more.
Here are links to the video and supplementary material for the presentation:
You can register for next Tuesday’s Civo Navigate Local Tampa 2024 conference, happening at Armature Works, for the low, low price of TEN DOLLARS with this discount code…
Civo Navigate Local Tampa is a one-day version of Civo’s 2-day Navigate conferences, with a stronger focus on local organization and techies. It will feature four topic categories…
Cloud Native
AI/ML
Emerging Tech
Thought Leadership
…over two tracks:
A main stage track with panels and presentations, and
A workshop track with lightning talks and workshops
Want to know what Civo’s two-day conference is like? Here’s a video summary of the most recent one, held in Austin in February:
At the upcoming Civo Navigate Local Tampa (taking place Tuesday, April 16 at Armature Works), I will be giving a 15-minute lightning talk on RAG — Retrieval-Augmented Generation — and how you can use it to make your AI apps produce better results.
And by “better,” I mean:
Able to use data that’s newer than their last update
Incorporating information that they wouldn’t otherwise have
Using the content of a document that you provide
Able to incorporate data from a database
And yes, there will be Python code, which I’ll run live for your viewing pleasure, explain for your understanding, and give to you for your own use!
My presentation will be one of several that you’ll be able to catch at Civo Navigate Local Tampa, and best of all, you can register for the conference for the low, low, low price of…
Next Tuesday, April 2nd at 6:15 p.m. Central / 7:15 p.m. Eastern / 23:15 UTC, I’ll lead an online introductory session for people who to dive into AI titled AI: How to Jump In Right Away.
My session is part of Austin Forum on Technology and Society’s third annual AI April, a month of presentations, events, and podcasts dedicated to AI capabilities, applications, future impacts, challenges, and more.
My presentation will start with a brief history of AI, as well as the general principles of how “old school” AI works versus “new school” AI…
…but we’ll quickly dive into building Sweater or No, a quick little AI application that tells you if you should wear a sweater, based on your current location. Here’s a screenshot of some of the code we’ll build:
This is a FREE online session, so you don’t have to be in Austin to participate. I’m not in Austin, but Tampa Bay, and you can join in from anywhere!
A hackathon is a competitive event where people with a technology bent — typically developers, designers, and other tech enthusiasts — form teams that work to build a software prototype (which can also include some hardware) that solves a problem or accomplishes a goal within a limited amount of time (typically ranging from a few hours to a couple of days).
Think of it as a pressure cooker of skill and creativity, where teams of participants brainstorm, code, design, test, and refine their creations in a race against the clock — and other teams! Collaboration and innovation are key, as participants huddle around laptops, sketch pads, and whiteboards, exchanging ideas, troubleshooting, and iterating rapidly to refine their solutions. Mentors and industry experts are often available to provide guidance and feedback, adding another layer of learning and networking to the experience. At the end of the event, teams present their projects to a panel of judges or the entire audience, showcasing their ingenuity, technical prowess, and presentation and problem-solving skills.
To use the words of the organizers, Tampa Devs, “It’s one part party, one part work-your-butt-off overnight battle against the clock and the competition.”
What will participants be building at BayHacks 2024?
This hackathon doesn’t have a theme, so participants can build any kind of software/hardware project they want.
However, they don’t have a lot of time to build. Building time starts at 12 noon on Saturday and stops at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, followed by project presentations, judging, and the awarding of prizes.
Do I have to participate, or can I just be a spectator?
Space is limited, so there isn’t room for spectators. If you attend, you must participate in a project!
Opening ceremonies, explanation of format, and other announcements
11:00 a.m.
Team formation
11:30 a.m.
Pitching proposals
12:00 p.m.
The work begins!
5:00 p.m.
You don’t have to stop, but you have to exit the venue.
Sunday, February 25th
Time
What”s happening
10:00 a.m.
Participant check-in
10:30 a.m.
The work continues!
2:00 p.m.
Teams present their projects
3:00 p.m.
Judging and the awarding of prizes
5:00 p.m.
End of the event
Did you mention prizes?
Yes, there are prizes. Cash prizes, in fact…
Place
Cash prize amount
1st
$750
2nd
$500
3rd
$250
How are projects judged?
They’ll be judged on the following criteria:
Quality and innovative nature of the idea / demo
Utility of the idea / demo
UI / UX design
Who are the judges?
They’re prominent members of the Tampa Bay tech community held in high esteem. You may recognize one of them:
That’s right, I’m a judge. So impress me!
How do you register for BayHacks 2024?
Register for BayHacks 2024 at the BayHacks 2024 Eventbrite page. It costs $10 to register, but that $10 helps cover the costs of running the hackathon and also gets you the official T-shirt, swag bag, andSpa a single entry into the pre-event raffle for a pair of Tampa Bay Lightning tickets.
