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Small is Beautiful: Learn what SLMs can do for you

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The MERL Tech Initiative is hosting a course on Small Language Models (SLMs). Join us on October 30 and November 06 for a hands-on, 2-day workshop led by experts Cathy Richards and Jonas Norén.

Who is this course for?

Large, resource-intensive, general-purpose AI models are causing undeniable harm to the environment, the climate, and communities around the globe. Small language models, built in purposeful and controlled ways, and managed with thoughtful design, can be an alternative. Built with fewer computational resources, they can lead to faster processing, increased possibilities on smaller devices, more privacy and security, and they can be tailored by you and your tasks! 

This course is for professionals in social impact, international development, and humanitarian work who want to explore using SLMs in their work. During this workshop, participants will gain an introduction to SLMs, discover how the concept of “open” manifests within SLMs, and learn how to set up an SLM with a Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) approach for their own use.

Format & requirements

  • 4-hour course delivered across 2 virtual sessions. 
  • Sessions held via Zoom, with breaks, discussion time, and guided hands-on practice.
  • Attendance at Session 1 is required to join Session 2.
  • Participants will need:
    • A stable internet connection, a laptop with Zoom access and camera-on capability, 
    • Ideally, a computer with at least 16GB of memory and 20 GB of hard drive space (please reach out if you have doubts!)
    • A good understanding of Large Language Models and Generative AI.
    • Ability to download free software and open-source language models (check with your IT manager if you are not sure).
  • You will have the opportunity to flag any accessibility requirements on the application form.
  • To make sure everyone is able to follow the sessions, optional pre-readings will be provided a week before the workshop.

If you…

  • …are curious about bespoke AI models;
  • …would like your AI use to have a smaller environmental footprint;
  • …care about privacy and are mindful of (and limited by) what you can put into Large Language Models;
  • …want to be able to use and work with language models when not connected to the internet.

Then this course might be for you!

Dates and Times

Session 1: October 30, 9-11am ET / 2-4PM CET

Session 2:  November 06, 9-11am ET / 3-5pm CET (Please check whether the course starts an hour later for you on the second day due to Daylight Savings.)

Optional Office hour: Participants who would like more support implementing their own local systems outside of the second session will be able to join an office hour at no additional cost.

Meet the trainers

Cathy Richards (she/her) is a technologist who helps activists, organizations, and other social change agents make the most of data and technology in order to increase their impact. She is currently a technologist and a Civic Science Fellow & Data Inclusion Specialist at Open Environmental Data Project. She taught Metrics & Data Visualization at SVA, is a co-founder at Pueblo CoLab – a collaborative that creates tech and data processes for the social sector, and has also worked at GitLab, The Engine Room, and Keystone Accountability. Cathy is MTI’s lead on AI and Environment and supports operations as well.

Jonas Norén (he/him) is the Chief Executive Officer at dav|consulting. With extensive experience in research, evaluation, capacity development, and statistics, he has worked within the fields of democracy, human rights, SME-development, emerging markets, complex markets, and democratic governance. Jonas thrives on open-source solutions and the potential for automation of mundane processes using state-of-the-art technology. He is one of the co-leads of the Sandbox Working Group at the NLP-CoP.

Fees

  • Participants from HIC (High-Income Countries): $250 (25 available spots)
  • Participants from LMIC (Low and Middle Income Countries): $100 (15 available spots)

Reach out via email to inquire about a discounted price for multiple members of the same organization.

Please be sure to read our cancellation and refund policy here.

Interested in other training opportunities at the intersection of AI, development & humanitarian work, and MERL? Check out MTI’s offering here.