The Awkward Handshake How AI Portland Built a 2,800-Person Community
What does it take to build a thriving community people actually want to show up for?
In this episode, we sit down with the co-founders of AI Portland, a fast-growing community that has brought together thousands of people around one of the biggest shifts in modern work and business: artificial intelligence.
But this conversation isn’t just about AI.
It’s about curiosity, community-building, networking, and what happens when two thoughtful people decide to start the thing instead of waiting until they feel “expert enough.”
We talk about how AI Portland got off the ground, what they’ve learned from organizing events at scale, how they source speakers, why diverse rooms matter, and what they’ve discovered about what people are really hungry for right now.
If you’ve ever thought, “Could I build something like that?” … this episode is for you.
In this episode, we talk about:
- How AI Portland got started from a simple conversation over wine
- Why you do not need to be an expert to start a community
- What makes an event feel welcoming, thoughtful, and worth coming back to
- How AI Portland grew into a 2,800+ person community
- Why people are craving in-person connection again
- How they choose event topics and source standout speakers
- What they’ve learned about building rooms with more diversity and intention
- Why having a “yes friend” can completely change your trajectory
- The importance of trying things before you overthink them into the grave
Meet the Guests
Megan Notarte
Technology team leader and co-founder of AI Portland, a community focused on demystifying generative AI and its real-world business applications.
Connect with Megan on LinkedIn
Nicole Mors
Product design leader, co-founder of AI Portland, and co-host of the podcast Supercharged by AI.
Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn
About AI Portland
AI Portland is a growing Portland-based community focused on helping people understand and explore artificial intelligence in practical, human, and accessible ways.
They host events, conversations, and gatherings for people across industries — whether you’re deep in tech, AI-curious, or just trying to figure out what the hell any of this means.
Check out upcoming AI Portland events:
https://www.aipdx.info/
Keep in touch!
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