Data & AI Community Day Durban: AI Unplugged

Data & AI Community Day Durban: AI Unplugged

Strip away the hype. Plug into what actually matters.

Data enthusiasts, AI innovators, and tech explorers, 2026 is here, and we're kicking it off the only way we know how: with a packed room, brilliant speakers, and the kind of honest, no-fluff tech talks that have made our events one of the largest community-run tech gatherings in South Africa.

Join us on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at Richfield College, Umhlanga Campus, for Data & AI Community Day Durban: AI Unplugged, a FREE, full-day, in-person event for the community, by the community.

Following Up on Merry Christmas People (MCP)

We closed out 2025 in style with our festive finale, Season of AI — Merry Christmas People (MCP). That wrapped up a record-breaking year: four sold-out Data & AI Community Days, Durban's first .NET Conf, nearly 1,000 attendees across all events, and 65 speakers, many of them first-timers who absolutely crushed it on stage.

If MCP was about unwrapping the future of AI connectivity, then AI Unplugged is about stripping things back to what actually matters: real knowledge, real skills, and real community.

The Idea Behind AI Unplugged

Remember MTV Unplugged? Rock stars swapping electric guitars for acoustics to prove they could actually play, no production tricks, no smoke machines, just pure talent. That's the vibe.

No corporate polish. No death-by-slideshow. No "AI will change everything" hand-waving without anything to back it up. Just real people sharing what actually works, what they've learned (including the failures), and what you can use on Monday morning.

We keep the friendly Durban energy, the slightly cheeky banter, and the serious technical depth.

What to Expect

This full-day event features a dynamic mix of 50-minute deep dives and 20-minute lightning talks delivered by a diverse lineup of experts, architects, and Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) who are at the forefront of their fields.

Topics You'll Love:

• AI Agents & Agentic AI: multi-agent systems, orchestration, and real-world implementations
• Generative AI: LLMs, prompt engineering, RAG, fine-tuning, and what's actually production-ready
• Model Context Protocol (MCP): servers, clients, integrations, and use cases
• AI-Coding: GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Vibe Coding, how AI is changing the way we build software
• Small Language Models: running AI locally, and when you don't need GPT-scale
• Responsible AI: bias, fairness, ethics — the stuff that actually matters
• AI for Africa: unique use cases, challenges, and opportunities on our continent
• Microsoft Fabric & Analytics: data engineering, OneLake, lakehouses, and business intelligence
• Database Development: performance tuning, architecture, and modern database tech
• Streaming Data & Real-Time Analytics: Kafka, Event Hubs, Spark, Flink, and data in motion
• Power Platform & Power Apps: making AI and data accessible to business users
• .NET & Development: what's new, what's next, and practical developer tips
• DevOps, Cybersecurity, Career & Community: because great engineers think beyond the code

Even though AI is front and centre, expect content beyond just AI, we cover anything Data & AI related, anything streaming related, anything database related... essentially anything cool!

And yes, by popular demand (and a touch of infamy), the legendary panel discussion returns! Bring your spiciest questions and watch our speakers squirm (and shine) live on stage. Don't hold back.

Why Attend?

• Actionable content: no fluffy slides, just proven patterns, code, and architectures
• Local + global voices: Microsoft MVPs, architects, thought leaders, and community experts
• Real community: Durban's friendliest tech crowd, a buzzing hallway track, and plenty of time to network
• Free event: world-class content, zero cost

Whether you're a seasoned developer, a data wrangler, a business analyst, or just starting out and curious about what all the fuss is about, this event is for YOU.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, March 14, 2026

Time: Full-day event (08:00 – 18:00)

Location: Richfield College, Umhlanga Campus

Address: Centenary Boulevard, Park Square, 5-9 Park Avenue, Umhlanga (The campus is inside the Park Square complex. Take the elevator in Block C to the first floor — you can't miss it!)

Event Webpage: https://aimldatadurban.org/events/2026/ai-unplugged/

A massive thank you to Richfield College for graciously hosting us at their Umhlanga Campus!

A Community-Driven Event

The Azure, AI/ML & Data Community Durban is built on one simple idea: by the community, for the community. We're here to share, learn, and innovate together, using Azure, AI, and Data to solve real-world problems and make a difference.

Our Mission: To empower and create heroes of society through Azure, AI/ML, and Data. We Do Positive Things through innovation and passion.

Important Ticket Information

After you register, you'll receive an email with your ticket attached. Please bring the email with you to the event, as it will make the sign-in process much smoother. Thank you!

Secure your spot now. Space is limited, and this one will sell out fast.

Let's unplug from the noise and plug into what matters. See you on March 14!