We, Azure, AI/ML & Data Community Durban, are continuing the tradition of our hugely successful Data & AI Community Day Durban events — each one bigger, bolder, and geekier than the last. From Copilots & Agents to AI @ Ignite++ to The Age of Agency, we’ve packed lecture halls with 200+ attendees, sparked countless hallway debates, and made Durban a true hotspot for Data & AI. 🚀

Figure 1: Data & AI Community Day Durban: Season of AI - The Age of Agency

Don’t just take our word for it — here’s what attendees said:

  • This wasn’t just a local event but a world‑class AI and Data Conference for KZN. It reminded me of the Africa AI Expo in Sandton!
  • An amazing and insightful event to meet likeminded developers. The speakers were wonderful and the panel discussion was a highlight.
  • Another awesome event 👏 A privilege to attend and listen to such talented individuals do wonders with AI and IT.

Now it’s time for the next chapter: Ready Player 2.

Data & AI Community Day Durban: Ready Player 2 - Augment Yourself with AI Superpowers

Data & AI Community Day Durban: Ready Player 2 - Augment Yourself with AI Superpowers is where we hand out XP boosts for real life. Ready Player 2 is all about augmenting your craft with AI — whether you write code, wrangle data, design systems, build dashboards, or ship products. Expect practical demos, live builds, war stories, and frameworks you can take back to work on Monday. It is a full-day, in-person event for the community by the community where we deep dive into the most exciting innovations in AI, data, and cloud technologies. It is packed with cutting-edge insights and networking opportunities and promises an exciting, in-depth exploration of artificial intelligence and other hot topics in the realm of Data & AI.

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

What to Expect

From the title of the event you can gather there will be topics about AI. But wait, there’s more, much more:

  • Agentic AI & MCP 🤖🧩: Build assistants that do not just chat. Deep dives into Model Context Protocol (MCP), multi-agent patterns, orchestration with LangGraph/AutoGen/AG2, and the emerging agentic mesh.
  • AI Coding & Vibe Coding 💻✨: Let copilots handle the boilerplate while you shape architecture. Real workflows with GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, prompt patterns, test-first prompting, and repo-scale refactors.
  • Business Analytics with Microsoft Fabric 📊: End-to-end demos: OneLake, Direct Lake, semantic models, and Power BI for storytelling that lands.
  • Streaming & Real-Time Intelligence 📡: Kafka, Azure Event Hubs, Flink/Spark Streaming, schema evolution, and low-latency patterns.
  • Hard‑Core Database Development 🧱: Indexing strategies, partitioning, CDC, Debezium, query tuning, and why your ORM is slow.
  • GenAI in the Enterprise 🧠: RAG architectures, safety guardrails, evals, vector stores, and cost management in production.
  • Power Platform & Low‑Code ⚙️: Copilots + makers: accelerate business apps without creating shadow IT.
  • And Much More: Engage with a variety of topics that cater to all facets of Data & AI.

The format is fast-paced 20‑min lightning talks + 50‑min deep dives. And yes, by popular demand (and a touch of infamy) — the legendary panel discussion returns, ready to tackle your spiciest AI and data questions live on stage a spicy panel discussion, and hands-on Q&A.

So, whether you’re interested in AI Agents, Azure Open AI, eager to explore the latest in Generative AI, passionate about database development, fascinated by machine learning, or interested in the world of streaming, there’s something for everyone. Our expert speakers are ready to share their insights and experiences, providing you with the knowledge and inspiration to propel your projects and career forward. This event is a MUST-ATTEND! 📈🤖

Why Attend

Data & AI Community Day Durban: Ready Player 2 - Augment Yourself with AI Superpowers is a unique opportunity to learn from industry experts, network with peers, and gain valuable insights into the latest trends and technologies in Data & AI. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out in the field, this event offers something for everyone. Don’t miss this chance to connect with like-minded individuals, expand your knowledge, and take your career to the next level:

  • Actionable content: no fluffy slides — proven patterns, code, and architectures.
  • Local + global voices: Microsoft MVPs, architects, thought leaders, and community experts.
  • Real community: Durban’s friendliest tech crowd, great hallway track, and plenty of time to network.

Click on respective link for more information:

Speakers

Call for Speakers (CfS) for the event is open. We are looking for speakers who are passionate about AI, ML, Data, and related topics and who are excited to share their knowledge and experiences with the community. Have thoughts on the latest advances in AI Agents, how about the Model Context Protocol, or building agent frameworks that feel like mini digital startups? Are you into AI-coding and are a wizard with GitHub Copilot, Claude Code and other tools like that? Maybe you are passionate about Power Platform, or MS Fabric, or (our first love) database development. Are you concerned about security and AI and have thoughts about it? You might be an expert in crypto and blockchain and want to share your knowledge? We want YOU on stage, and we encourage you to submit your proposal using the link below.

Submit Proposal

Expect to see thought-leaders in their respective fields, Microsoft MVPs, Software Architects, etc.

We also want to showcase local talent, so please get in touch with us if you are interested in speaking.

Sessions

The sessions will appear here as soon as it is confirmed. As mentioned above, the event is a full-day event, and in addition to awesome presentations, it will allow you to network with your peers.

Registration

The registration for the event has not yet opened. We will update this page as soon as the registration opens. We are expecting a large turnout for this event, so we encourage you to register as soon as possible once the registration opens. The event is free, but space is limited, so don’t miss out!

Agenda

The agenda will appear here as soon as it is confirmed. As mentioned above, the event is a full-day event, and in addition to awesome presentations, it will allow you to network with your peers.

Venue

We are excited to announce that the event will be held at Richfield College, Umhlanga Campus:

Figure 2: Richfield College, Umhlanga Campus

Richfield College offers modern lecture theatres, strong Wi‑Fi, excellent A/V equipment, and secure parking.

The venue is located at: 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, and you are there. If you come by car, you enter the parking garage from Centenary Boulevard.

Get directions to the event

Sponsors

We are excited to announce the upcoming Data and AI Community Day Durban: Season of AI - The Age of Agency. If recent events are any indication, this event promises to be a memorable and impactful experience for our community.

As organizers, we seek sponsors who share our commitment to supporting our community and would like to participate in this exciting event.

Your sponsorship would not only help us make this event a reality but also showcase your company’s dedication to our community. We have various sponsorship packages available to suit different budgets and marketing goals.

By partnering with us, you can promote your brand to a diverse audience, gain exposure through our marketing efforts, and align your company with a positive community initiative.

If you want to learn more about our event and the sponsorship opportunities available, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would be happy to provide you with a detailed sponsorship proposal and discuss how your support can make a meaningful impact.