Lunch & Hack: AI Agents vs Agentic Workflows (w/ The AI Collective)
Virtual Lunch & Hack
Join us for a Virtual Lunch & Hack, a biweekly online event where builders come together to learn something new, hear from great speakers, and hack on a fun project in real time.
Each session features a different topic. We’ll kick things off with a short talk from our speakers, followed by a hands-on hacking session where everyone gets a chance to build. At the end, selected participants can show what they made.
For this session, we’ll explore AI Agents vs Agentic Workflows.
Explore the difference between giving an AI agent a goal and letting it act autonomously versus designing an agentic workflow with explicit steps, handoffs, approvals, and visibility. We’ll discuss when each approach makes sense, how much control to give agents, and how to build systems that balance autonomy with reliability.
For the hack, you'll use modern AI tools to build an agent-powered workflow that solves a real business problem. Whether you're an engineer, founder, product manager, or simply curious about AI, you'll leave with a practical understanding and hands-on experience creating the kind of workflows that are shaping the future of work.
Check our agenda, future topics, past recordings or propose new topics at: RoryPlans.ai/Lunch
Speakers:
Susan Makinda - Senior Learning Transformation & AI Leader at Global Fintech Organization
Adelina Martiniuc - CEO RoryPlans.ai
Susan Makinda - Senior Learning Transformation & AI Leader at Global Fintech Organization
Susan Makinda is a learning and talent leader who helps organizations prepare their people for an AI-enabled future of work. With more than two decades of experience across global organizations, consulting, and fintech, she leads learning strategies that help employees adopt agentic AI, collaborate effectively with AI tools, and build the human capabilities needed to exercise judgment, curiosity, and critical thinking. Her work bridges emerging technology, workforce transformation, and practical behavior change—turning complex AI concepts into accessible learning experiences and new ways of working. Susan is also a LinkedIn Learning instructor and is passionate about ensuring that as technology advances, people advance with it.
Adelina Martiniuc - CEO RoryPlans.ai
CEO of RoryPlans.ai and the creator of RoBrain.dev, Adelina has over 15 years of experience in tech, including leadership roles at Vercel, Cruise, and Google. She wrote her thesis on AI planning and optimization 15 years ago, exploring agent-based systems long before they were widely called “agents.” She is currently building Rory, a multi-agent orchestrator that aligns human teams and AI agents in a single system of execution. RoBrain is a shared memory across your team and your AI agents, with judgment about what's worth keeping.
The AI Collective is a global non-profit building the human layer for the AI era. We unite 200,000+ leaders, builders, and stakeholders across 100+ forums worldwide to democratize the frontier, build trust, and coordinate how society navigates the rapid acceleration of technological progress.
All attendees and organizers at events affiliated with The AI Collective agree to our privacy policy and are subject to our code of conduct.