DURHAM — The All Things Open conference has become a mainstay for the Raleigh area, drawing an international crowd each fall to discuss open source technologies and implementation. Next week, this event officially expands into the world of artificial intelligence with a new two-day, AI-dedicated event taking place at the Carolina Theater in Durham.
“We’ve been doing [AI] for a number of years on the All Things Open side, but it’s not solely what we focus on,” explained Todd Lewis, All Things Open founder and a co-producer of this event. “We did double the amount of AI content at ATO this past year and it was really well received and I can foresee that continuing.”
In order to lean into the need, Lewis has partnered with Mark Hinkle, a longtime colleague and the publisher of the The Artificially Intelligent Enterprise (AIE) Network, which provides training and practical guidance for Generative AI success in business. Hinkle’s day job and his experience co-founding the RDU Artificial Intelligence Meetup group lead him to believe there was plenty of room for a dedicated AI event in the Triangle.
“25% of all new job postings mentioned artificial intelligence in 2024,” said Hinkle. “So it is a big, big opportunity for employment and a need for our whole society to have these people. And I think that we’re in a great place to deliver.”
Making AI Accessible
The traditional All Things Open event is known to be a very technical event. While the fall conference includes a “101” track, the nature of the open source conversation can sometimes become jargon-y and overwhelming.
By contrast the AI version is aiming to provide “100-level” training that can draw a more diverse crowd. Hinkle was intent on providing content across the range of experience, understanding that for many, AI remains intimidating and a challenge to apply in the “real world.”
“10 out of 10 knowledge workers are going to need upskilling for AI and 77% of them don’t have a plan. We’re trying to give them a plan,” said Hinkle.
To deliver that experience, day one will focus on workshops, with options for a day-long “bootcamp” for new users or Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) sessions for more power users. Other workshops include a guided opportunity to work with Granite, an IBM model, and “Testing GenAI Applications.”
As part of Hinkle’s desire to impart as much knowledge as possible, scholarships were distributed through many of the event partners, including RIoT, Carolina Women in Tech, NC IDEA, CED, The Loading Dock, and Raleigh Founded, plus meet-up groups like Triangle Tech Night and the RDU AI Meetup Group.
"There's content for everyone," said Lewis.
https://maritdigital.com/2024/10/28/all-things-open-returns-to-raleigh-with-news-and-events/
Future of AI in the Triangle
Both Lewis and Hinkle are bullish on the prospect for the Triangle to become a hotspot in AI development.
“I think we have the talent and the skill here and lots of pockets of innovation,” said Hinkle. “I do think that we lack some kind anchor around that. That’s where I think we’re trying to fill the void. There is not huge incubator around high tech for our area.”
The Triangle’s strong roots in education are already working on AI curriculum, with a Duke Masters of Engineering in AI and NC A&T offering the first B.S. in Artificial Intelligence in the state. But while these institutions may be generating skills for the workforce, Lewis raised concerns that those graduates don’t currently have many local places to “land” after graduation.
“I think talent retention, not just talent development, but talent retention, gets back to what opportunities are [here],” said Lewis. “That’s, where this conference – and other networks in the area – come into play.”
Event Details and Conferences to Come
The All Things Open event is at, or close to capacity, with a crowd of about 1,000 expected at the iconic Carolina Theater in downtown Durham. Tickets can be found on the website, with conference and workshop tickets sold separately.
The autumn All Things Open event will be back at the Raleigh Convention Center October 12-14, 2025. The call for speakers for the events runs through March 28.
And as for planning for a 2026 AI All Things Open, Hinkle and Lewis agreed that it was too soon to commit, and this event’s feedback would determine if that’s in the cards. But the consensus was definitely a desire to “keep a community going.”
“I think there are a lot of people that haven’t really fully understood what [AI] is going to mean to them and even their future job prospects,” said Lewis. “Our goal is to make sure they’re prepared for that and as educated as possible.”
