building an ai/ml model for beginners
Model you = beginner;
while (you.in(TorontoTechWeek))
{
you.attend(ML_Workshop);
you.levelUp();
}
Curious about AI and machine learning but not sure where to start? This hands-on workshop is designed specifically for non-technical and beginner audiences who want to understand how machine learning actually works and build a simple model themselves. Come hungry for both the knowledge and the dinner on us!
Hosted by Jacqline Geng, a financial engineer with experience in quant finance, fintech, consulting, AI, and hackathons, and Iris Guo, an AI Product Manager with extensive experience across big tech and startups (Zynga, Scale AI, Google X, Microsoft), this session bridges the gap between AI hype and practical understanding.
We’ll break down machine learning concepts in plain language, show you a live demo of a simple ML model, and walk through common real-world use cases, from finance and product to everyday AI tools you already use. No prior coding or math background is required.
In the second half of the workshop, you’ll get hands-on:
you’ll customize and tune model parameters yourself, experiment with inputs and outputs, and see how small changes affect model behavior.
We’ll wrap up with a relaxed networking session so you can connect with others exploring AI from diverse backgrounds.
Agenda:
5-6:15pm - Intro & Enjoy Refreshments
6:15-7pm - ML Workshop & Demo
7-8pm - Hands-on ML Model Building Session
8-8:30pm - Mingling & Networking
What you’ll learn:
- What machine learning is (and isn’t)
- How a simple ML model works under the hood
- Common real-world AI/ML use cases
- How to interact with and tune a basic model
- How to think about AI tools as a non-technical builder
What to bring:
Just your curiosity (and a laptop, if you’d like to follow along).
Note: this workshop is open to professionals of all backgrounds (product managers, designers, consultants, founders, and startup operators) with little to no coding experience, as well as anyone curious about AI and ML.
About Rootly AI
Rootly AI is the AI-native on-call and incident response platform that provides proactive support to help Site Reliability Engineers resolve incidents faster, improve system resilience, and streamline on-call operations. It’s your always-on SRE copilot that automates root cause analysis and identifies patterns that drive continuous improvement—trusted by hundreds of companies like LinkedIn, NVIDIA, Replit, Elastic, Canva, Clay, Tripadvisor, and Shell.
Come demystify machine learning, build something real, and leave with a clearer mental model of how AI actually works, all during Toronto Tech Week.
Toronto Tech Week is a citywide celebration of the people building what’s next. From May 25–29, 2026, founders, investors, and builders come together for hundreds of community-led events across Toronto, connecting tens of thousands of people around Canadian tech. Torontotechweek.com
Photography Disclaimer: Please note that filming/photography is taking place at the event for promotional and archival purposes. These images will be used by Rootly to share news about the event and will appear on the Rootly website and may appear on our social media. If you have any questions, please contact us at any time.