Hack the Matrix: The Real Computer Science Behind Generative AI
When:
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Venue:
Birkbeck Main Building, Malet Street
No booking required
Hack the Matrix: The Real Computer Science Behind Generative AI
Join us at Birkbeck, University of London, for a BSc Computer Science with AI taster session that moves beyond simple prompts and reveals the real computer science and engineering behind today’s most influential AI platforms.
You’ll explore how neural networks process information, how large language models generate text, code, and images, and what these breakthroughs mean for the future of software, research, and industry.
You’ll then take part in a live, handson 'AI Build Challenge', working in small teams to create and deploy a custom AI agent in real time. Bring your phone or laptop to participate directly; if you can’t bring a device, you’ll still be able to follow along with the group.
You will then visit Birkbeck's Immersive Learning Centre, our hub for innovative digital technologies and learning, before taking a tour of our central London campus in the heart of the city.
Whether you’re interested in machine learning, software engineering, data science, or emerging AIdriven fields, this session offers a realistic look at the skills and knowledge that shape modern computing. You’ll gain insight into how Birkbeck’s flexible daytime and evening study options allow you to balance learning with work and other commitments, while developing the depth of understanding needed to move from using AI tools to building and advancing them.
No prior coding experience is required - just curiosity and a willingness to explore how AI really works.
About the speaker
Dr Keith Mannock is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Computing and Mathematical Sciences who has been shaping the field of computer science at Birkbeck since 1986. An expert in programming languages, software engineering, artificial intelligence, and visual information systems, he combines decades of academic excellence with industry collaboration, having worked with global technology leaders including Microsoft, Apple, Oracle, and Google. He also holds many professional memberships, including from the British Computer Science and the American Association for Artificial Intelligence, and has contributed to many opensource projects.
Contact name: Kate Goodfellow
Speakers- Dr Keith Mannock
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