Google event returned to the city, bringing tech enthusiasts out in droves.
What began as a small meetup has now become a Toronto tradition for the tech community.
Hosted by Google Developer Group (GDG), DevFest returned to the city Nov. 15, for a day of learning, networking, and a chance to experience the latest in technology.
“We started something called GDG Cloud Toronto almost like five years ago; five six years ago without much of a bigger vision. But it has evolved from two people all the way to a 5,000 member community group,” said Ramkumar Arun, with GDG.
The event brought together hundreds of students, industry leaders, and technology enthusiasts for a full day of workshops, certifications, and insight into the future of technology.
The Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC) was also in attendance having sponsored the event. Toby Lew, director of education & equity with the SAGBC board of directors, says the event is important because it can help organizations like the SAGBC, be more prepared to help students with knowledge in these fields.
“I think coming here to learn about how different institutions are engaging with AI, and technology, and Google is an important thing to learn about, so that we can transfer that kind of knowledge to our students. As an organization that has signed and partake in the sustainability development accord…it is essential that we understand how technology is going to come about, and how we can ensure ethical and sustainable usage of technology in our spaces. So, I think engaging with the GDG is a good way for us to really learn, what are the expectations of this field, and how can we manage our own expectations of how we utilize technology, and how do we navigate the speedy advancement of the technology industry,” said Lew.
This year’s DevFest offered hands-on workshops, panel discussions, AI labs, and networking sessions, all designed to give students real industry exposure and a chance to build meaningful connections.
With speakers from Google, developers, and community organizers, attendees were encouraged to explore emerging technologies, deepen their technical knowledge, and prepare for careers in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Lew was one of the members who was invited to take part in a podcast discussion. Centring on artificial intelligence (AI), Lew spoke on behalf of students and student unions, noting how AI will influence society.
“Some of the topics we touched on included current use & policy clarity, critical thinking vs. efficiency, academic integrity & ‘AI Anxiety’, and the human element in the AI age. There was a general theme to our responses — we recognize that AI is a growing industry and it is currently viewed as tool that all fields should be utilizing,” said Lew. “However, there is clearly a lack of understanding from the common user about how AI should be utilized ethically. The environmental impact, loss of humanness, and general overreliance on it can be a determent to education and ourselves. Caution is necessary when working with AI and students need to recognize it. On an academic level, there are so many flaws in AI detection (being highly discriminatory to non-native English speakers) and the bias coming from students and educators of what AI look like. Until we get a deeper understanding of AI usage at a mass scale with considerations for all its impact, AI needs to be treated something experimental not a full fledge tool.”
For many, DevFest offered something they don’t often get in class, immersive and real-time learning guided by industry professionals. Beyond the learning sessions, DevFest placed a huge emphasis on community building. Attendees were encouraged to network not just casually, but intentionally.
Throughout the event students had the opportunity to network and speak directly with recruiters from some of the biggest tech companies in the world.
From inspiring talks to hands-on labs, from organizers to global tech leaders, DevFest showed attendees that there’s a lot to experience in the world of technology.
