The AI LA Manifesto
We are AI LA, a community of cross-disciplinary artificial intelligence (AI) stakeholders in the Greater Los Angeles (LA) area. We are the connective tissue between entrepreneurs, product teams, brands, researchers, and policy makers, working to level the playing field and democratize AI using a human-centered approach.
We explore artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other frontier technologies, and the impacts they will have on humanity. It is our mission to build a more informed and collaborative world in which humans use AI harmoniously and transparently in everyday life.
We achieve this by producing regular events, workshops, and content for the Greater Los Angeles community and beyond.
“There’s nothing artificial about AI. It’s inspired by people, it’s created by people, and — most importantly — it impacts people. It is a powerful tool we are only just beginning to understand, and that is a profound responsibility.”
— Fei-Fei Li, Co-Director, Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute
Our Story
The AI LA Community was born from a combination of frustration and inspiration — I was frustrated sitting in traffic between Downtown LA and the Westside to attend tech events… so I was inspired by other Meetup organizers to create my own. At the time, I was developing a chatbot company in Downtown and wanted to develop a community of like-minded people who shared a similar passion about technology and the future. In the beginning, the group was called the “LA Chatbot Meetup”.
Soon after our first few monthly meetings, we rebranded to “AI LA” to cover a broader scope of technologies. Over these two years, we bootstrapped our efforts by partnering with venues and local industry leaders to cover our operational costs. We are a scrappy group, driven by curiosity and passion.
In 2018, we started focusing on a different topic/track each month, like a year-long conference.
We knew we were onto something when people were regularly coming back and the community began to spread organically by word-of-mouth. We have been growing at a gradual rate of 5% month-over-month, and we pride ourselves on our grassroots movement and transparent intentions.
At our first annual AI LA symposium, “Creating a Fair and Ethical Future”, we had the pleasure of bringing together researchers, industry leaders, government officials, and the general public to discuss the impact AI will have on society. The energy in the room was vibrant and exemplified our values: Inclusive, Trustworthy, and Fun.
In Q4 2018, the AI LA Community incorporated as a California non-profit and secured a fiscal sponsor (Hacker Fund) that enables the organization to accept charitable donations through the Hacker Fund AI LA Project. We are currently pursuing our own 501(c)(3) status.
The AI LA Community strives to democratize AI. There is no technology more reflective of its creators than artificial intelligence. We believe in following a human-centered approach to designing, developing, and deploying AI to enable machines to become partners in securing the prosperity of humanity. It is our mission to bring awareness of important issues, educate general audiences, and provide hope for a better future. And it is only with the support of our community that we can achieve our goals.
You do not need to know how to build a car to drive a car. The same should be true with AI — it should be accessible to everyone.
I hope to meet you at one of our monthly activities!
Todd Terrazas
Founder & President
AI LA Community, Inc.
