AI Events in Manchester

Join The Big Tech Debate #5 in Manchester for a live, slide-free showdown on whether AI in software testing speeds delivery at the expense of quality. This in-person event at Cubo, Spinningfields, brings together two senior QA leaders to debate the motion: “The Use of AI in Software Testing Prioritises Speed Over Thoroughness, Harming Software Quality.” Expect sharp points, deep experience, and a human-centered discussion on what AI actually adds (or subtracts) to software quality. What to expect - Two tech leaders on stage, no slides, no sales pitches, just rigorous argument and real-world experience. - Aimed at engineers, QA professionals, and product teams curious about how AI changes testing, reliability, and delivery timelines. - Audience participation: after the initial debate, there will be a Q&A and an opportunity for attendees to weigh in with questions and perspectives. - Limited spaces guarantee a more intimate, engaging debate where your voice can be heard. The motion details - The debate centers on whether AI in testing speeds things up at the cost of thoroughness and overall software quality. - FOR the motion: Sam White, Senior QA at CAVU - AGAINST the motion: Neil McLaughlin, Principal QA at Autotrader - The format: two sides present, followed by audience voting and discussion. No pre-recorded content, no sales pitches, just ideas and experience in play. Logistics - When: Thu, Mar 5, 2026, 5:30 PM local time - Where: Cubo, NO. 1, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3EB - Organizer: The Big Tech Debate - Type: Meetup, in-person - Ticketing: Limited spaces – grab a ticket to ensure your seat Who should attend - QA engineers, software developers, engineering managers, and startup founders exploring how AI intersects with testing. - Anyone curious about balancing speed and quality in an AI-enabled development workflow. - Tech enthusiasts who enjoy constructive, data-informed debate about real-world software challenges. Why this stands out - A practical, no-nonsense format that prioritizes dialogue over presentation, mirroring real-world decision-making in engineering teams. - Clear, battle-tested perspectives from practitioners who shape QA strategy in large and growing tech orgs. - Networking and community-building in Manchester’s tech scene, with an emphasis on actionable insights you can apply post-event. Find more AI and automation events in [Manchester](https://www.createwith.com/cities/manchester) or explore other [automation events](/dire

Practical, demo-driven AI for software engineers in Manchester: learn how teams are using AI in production with real tools, live demos, and actionable takeaways. What to expect This February edition of Practically AI is a community-led evening focused on how engineers are actually using AI in production today — from day-to-day development workflows to operational automation and tooling. The format stays true to the meetup’s core focus: practical, demo-driven AI for software engineers with real tools, real constraints, and lessons you can apply immediately. Expect concrete examples around AI-assisted coding, AI-powered developer tooling, and production workflows—not theory or hype. Who should attend Software engineers, platform engineers, tech leads, and engineering managers who want to use AI as part of their day job, not just read about it. If you’re building, testing, shipping, or operating software and want to see how AI fits into real workflows, this is for you. Why it’s worth attending Gain practical insight into how AI is being applied across modern engineering teams and connect with Manchester’s growing applied-AI community. Even with a final talk yet to be announced, these evenings consistently deliver useful ideas, honest discussions, and conversations with people facing similar problems. Agenda - 18:30 – Doors, pizza & mingling - 18:50 – Introductions - 19:00 – Talk - 19:40 – Q&A - 19:50 – Open social & refreshments - 20:30 – Close Entry & venue Entry on arrival at Accenture’s Manchester office (2 Symphony Park, Circle Square, Manchester M1 7FS). Please check in at reception and you’ll be directed to the meetup. Attendees must show a form of ID on entry. Target audience and outcomes - Attendees will walk away with concrete ideas for integrating AI into daily development workflows, from coding to deployment and monitoring. - Understand how engineering teams are evaluating and using AI-powered tooling in real-world scenarios. - Build connections with peers in Manchester’s applied-AI ecosystem for collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Registration RSVP via the Meetup page above. While the final main talk is TBD, the session will maintain Practically AI’s hands-on, demo-driven approach that emphasizes practical outcomes you can apply immediately. Find more AI events in Manchester and explore related topics at the linked pages: [Manchester](https://www.createwith.com/cities/manchester) | [automation events](https://www.createwith.com/directory/

Discover Agent Skills—small, explicit AI capabilities that make AI systems predictable and maintainable—at the Manchester Umbraco Meetup with Phil Whittaker. ## Why this event matters LLMs are powerful, but they’re probabilistic and context-limited when asked to do everything at once. This talk introduces a disciplined, engineering-led approach to AI: Agent Skills. These are small, explicit, discoverable units of capability that actively manage context, guidance, and deterministic behaviour. Rather than relying on huge prompts or generic agents, skills load only what’s needed for a task, guide the model with structure and rules, and delegate anything that must be exact to deterministic code. The result is more predictable, maintainable AI systems that fit into real-world software development workflows. This session is tailored for Umbraco developers, .NET engineers, technical leads, and developers curious about AI beyond hype. No deep AI background is required—just an interest in building systems that behave with intent. ## What you’ll learn - The anatomy of an Agent Skill: what makes a skill, how it’s triggered, and how it’s composed - How skills limit context and prompt scope to improve reliability - Why deterministic code paths are essential for accuracy and maintainability - Real-world examples and an Umbraco-friendly mindset for integrating AI into software projects - The shift from autonomous agents that guess to skilled systems designed with intent ## Who should attend - Umbraco developers and .NET engineers - Technical leads and software architects - Devs curious about practical, engineering-focused AI discussions - Attendees without AI experience who want to learn how to build intentional AI-powered systems ## Agenda (typical) - 18:00 – Open for Mingling - 18:30 – Pizza and Beer - 19:00 – Talk: The Future of AI Is Skilled - 19:45 – Open Social + Refreshments ## Details - Date/time: Thu, Feb 19, 2026, 6:00 PM local time (GMT) - Location: Manchester (in-person; check-in at reception to be guided to the meetup venue) - Organizer: Manchester Umbraco Meetup - Format: In-person talk with networking - Registration: Please RSVP and view details at the event page: https://www.meetup.com/manchester-umbraco-meetup/events/313187639 - Related topics: automation, ai-agents, visual-development ## Why you should go This meetup offers a practical, engineering-first lens on AI—helping you design AI-enabled software that behaves predictably and is easier to m

UK AI Meetup #3 (Manchester) is a practical, in-person gathering for developers, makers and AI-curious builders in Manchester, focused on real-world AI and automation workflows. The event is scheduled for Friday, 6 February 2026, from 10:00 to 17:30 (a full day of programming, around 7+ hours). Hosted by Circles MCR, the meetup aims to bring together a diverse community of peers to learn, share, and collaborate on AI-powered projects, no-code tooling, and automation strategies. What to expect: - A mix of short talks and live demos showcasing AI in action and practical no-code/low-code approaches to building AI-enabled apps and workflows. - Dives into AI agents and automation, with discussions on how AI can augment product development, workflows, and day-to-day work. - Opportunities for hands-on learning, peer-to-peer problem solving, and meaningful networking with fellow builders, founders, developers, data scientists, and product people. - A community-driven format that invites attendees to share ideas, run quick demonstrations, and explore collaboration possibilities on future projects. Who should attend: - Developers, data scientists, product managers, startup founders, and anyone interested in learning more about AI, NoCode, automation, and building with AI agents. - Individuals exploring practical applications of AI in business, product development, or personal projects. Format and experience: - In-person meetup designed for collaboration and knowledge exchange in a friendly, inclusive setting. - Expect a mix of lightning talks, short demonstrations, and ample time for networking and roundtable conversations. - The agenda will emphasize practical takeaways—how to implement AI in real projects, how to prototype quickly with automation, and how to leverage no-code tools to accelerate development. How to prepare: - Bring your questions, project ideas, and a willingness to share and collaborate. - If you have a demo or a quick AI showcase, there will typically be an opportunity to present it to the group. - Check the event page for the exact venue details and any registration requirements prior to the date. Related topics and tools: - Topics likely to surface include automation, AI agents, and visual development within the no-code/low-code space. - Learn and discuss practical workflows using AI and automation, and how to stitch tools together to accelerate building AI-powered apps. Discover more: - Find more AI events in [Manchester](https://www.cre

A day-long in-person event exploring how AI is transforming work and skills. Includes a Vibe Coding Masterclass (hands-on AI-powered prototyping), an LBG AI showcase with live demos of agentic AI in enterprise, and the AI Café for discussion and networking. Free to attend (max 4 tickets per company).

Hands-on workshop at The Manchester College City Campus. Learn to automate mini-tools and build apps without code using Zapt.ai. Join us for an amazing morning of learning and networking! We will be welcoming Billy Gilchrist – Business Innovation Advisor to present an interactive session on the applications of AI and how you can use it improve your business and your creativity. You will also learn how to use ChatGPT to write content, automate admin tasks and generate ideas, create social media posts, websites and presentations using Gamma.app, produce AI-powered videos with voiceovers using Synthesia.io, use Newarc.AI for AI-assisted sketching and product design, turn messy notes and documents into useable insights using Notebook.LM.