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AI Ecosystem Interview Series (5)
Meet Professor Chris M.Bell ( Schulich School of Business - York University) August 23 2026 Interview Summary: Professor Chris M. Bell provided academic interview focused on the core boundaries of trust in AI, the evolutionary characteristics of the AI ecosystem, and the value of trust. It first established that humans can only build cognitive-level trust in AI. Current problems such as AI's logical inconsistency, black-box opacity, and the difficulty of tracing the origins
Alex Song
1 day ago1 min read


Five Workshops, One Meaningful Summer: SparkMind AI × Buddy Up
August 14, 2026 – Markham, Ontario On August 14, SparkMind AI wrapped up its fifth and final summer workshop in partnership with NS Society’s Buddy Up Program, marking the end of a meaningful summer of learning, creativity, and connection. Throughout the five-workshop series, SparkMind AI volunteers explored different ways to make learning more engaging and accessible for children with special needs. From AI-inspired games and digital activities to art, puzzles, LEGO, hands-o

Mia Cao
Aug 201 min read


Learning, Playing & Connecting: Our Fourth Buddy Up AI Workshop
August 8, 2026 – Markham, Ontario SparkMind AI continued its partnership with NS Society’s Buddy Up Program with our fourth collaborative workshop, bringing together AI learning, hands-on creativity, and summer outdoor fun. The first part of the session continued our exploration of AI through interactive games and activities, giving children an approachable and playful way to experience how technology can be used to learn, create, and solve problems. Volunteers worked alongsi

Mia Cao
Aug 81 min read


AI Ecosystem Interview Series (4)
- Meet AI Entrepreneur Han Yan - Founder of EZSave On August 2, 2026, SparkMind co-founder Alex Song had the honour of interviewing Ms. Han Yan, founder of EZSave, for the fourth episode of SparkMind’s AI Entrepreneur Interview Series. EZSave is a Toronto-based AI company that participated in York University’s YSpace JumpSTART Incubator, a program that supports women entrepreneurs. The company operates a local-commerce platform connecting small and medium-sized businesses -
Alex Song
Aug 21 min read


Exploring AI Through Play and Peer Mentorship
Date: July 31, 2026 Theme: AI Education, Digital Creativity, and Youth Leadership On July 31, 2026, SparkMind AI members Mia Cao participated in a youth learning activity held in partnership with NS Society’s Buddy Up series program together with other young volunteers. Rather than introducing AI only through technical explanations, the session encouraged participants to learn through games, challenges, exploration, and peer support. One of the digital learning experiences f

Mia Cao
Aug 11 min read


Bringing Inclusive AI Learning to North Star’s Buddy Up Program
July 24, 2026 | Angus Glen Community Centre & Library, Markham On July 24, 2026, SparkMind AI Education participated in the Buddy Up program organized by NS Society’s. Buddy Up was designed to provide children with special needs with an inclusive and engaging environment through a variety of activities, including LEGO, chess, Go, interactive games, and technology-based learning. As part of SparkMind’s mission to make AI education accessible, engaging, and meaningful for young

Mia Cao
Jul 261 min read


From Idea to Impact: Learning AI Through Real-World Innovation
At SparkMind AI Education, we believe AI is best learned by solving real-world problems through creativity, collaboration, and innovation. July 12, 2026, Mia Cao participated in the Built Young Hackathon, where teams had just 2 hours to turn an idea into a working prototype. Together with two teammates, she built Scroll Study - an app that helps students stay focused by combining short educational videos with relaxing background visuals, addressing the challenge of digital di

Mia Cao
Jul 121 min read


SparkMind Teams Excel at AIEC 2026 AI Entrepreneurship Contest
SparkMind AI Education is proud to announce that two student teams from our community competed in the inaugural AIEC (AI Entrepreneurship Contest) finals on June 13, 2026, in Toronto - and both achieved outstanding recognition. Team Resona, featuring co-founders Alex Song and Samantha Zhang, secured 3rd Place with the prestigious Scotiabank Award for Emerging AI Venture, alongside a Scotiabank Award for Rising AI Entrepreneurs. Their innovative approach to AI-driven solutions

Mia Cao
Jun 141 min read


AI Ecosystem Interview Series (3)
- Meet Carmi Levy - Technology Analyst & Journalist On the afternoon of May 16, 2026, I participated in an interview-based research project titled “Research on the Artificial Intelligence Startup Ecosystem in Ontario.” I had the opportunity to interview Carmi Levy, a long-time technology commentator and regular media analyst for organizations including Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Drawing on his extensive experience observing the technology sector and the develo
Alex Song
May 211 min read


Inside the World of Machine Learning
May 14, 2026 SparkMind AI Education hosted another interactive AI workshop for young students. In this 30-minute session, students explored the topic “How Do Machines Learn?” through simple explanations, discussions, and hands-on activities. Participants learned how machines use data and patterns to learn from humans, while also being introduced to the idea of supervised learning using labeled data. Through activities such as sorting images and identifying clues, students exp

Mia Cao
May 171 min read


AI Ecosystem Interview Series (2)
- Interview With Rishabh Aharma On May 8th, 2026. I interviewed Rishabh Sharma who is an Undergraduate researcher at University of Waterloo and is building AI/tech focused startup “ Tolaris Labs”. I asked about concerns surrounding the growing popularity of “vibe coding” and whether it may discourage students from pursuing computer science. Mr. Sharma stressed that coding will never become obsolete, even with rapid advancements in AI. Speaking from his experience as a Water
Alex Song
May 121 min read


AI Ecosystem Interview Series (1)
- Conversation with AI Entrepreneur & AI Researcher Zifei Han May 2, 2026, Toronto, Ms Zifei Han transitioned from a graduate degree in data science of University of Toronto to working in AI consulting at Deloitte, from being a researcher at CMU to starting her own business, founding an AI education company, and having her project win a major award. She then pursued a PhD in AI in Singapore. As an AI entrepreneur and researcher in Toronto, she shared her experiences and in
Alex Song
May 41 min read


Workshop with Mr. Barry Hillier
Who is Mr. Barry Hillier? Barry Hillier is an AI entrepreneur focused on building innovative technologies that improve how people interact with digital systems. With a strong interest in automation and intelligent solutions, he works on developing tools that make complex processes simpler and more efficient. His work reflects a forward-thinking approach to the growing impact of artificial intelligence in everyday life.

Darren Zhang
Apr 261 min read


Our First Workshop
Event Date: April 25, 2025 Event Leaders: Darren Zhang, Alex Song, Jack Arruda, Philip Arruda During this SparkMind workshop, children were introduced to the basics of artificial intelligence (AI) through a fun, interactive presentation designed specifically for ages 3–10. Using simple language, colorful visuals, and guided questions, we helped children understand the difference between things made by humans (“artificial”) and things found in nature, building a foundation for

Mia Cao
Apr 121 min read


AI In Our Everyday Life
AI is becoming increasingly present in our day to day lives. From intelligent assistants to self-driving cars, artificial intelligence changes our perception of reality and education. However, the development of this field gives rise to a lot of important questions regarding artificial intelligence and its impact on our society. When it comes to artificial intelligence, privacy is a big topic of discussion. AI systems use large amounts of data for development and store a con

Darren Zhang
Apr 121 min read
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