Blogging Groups Toronto

Toronto AI Ebook Empire Workshop

✍️ **Launch Your AI Ebook Business – Workshop** Use AI to write and publish ebooks that sell while you sleep. ⚠️ Register below to confirm your place — RSVP is not your ticket in. ### [🔗 SECURE YOUR SPOT](https://aiventurelab.org/product/AIEbookBusiness?city=Toronto&groupurlname=bloom-literary-society-reading-circle&startgmtdatetime=2026-07-08T22:00:00Z) --- What's covered: - Find profitable niches using AI research tools - Publish across platforms for passive income - Scale to multiple titles without burning out *One system. Recurring income.* ✍️

Toronto Build an AI Content Brand

🎭 **Faceless AI Influencer – Grow Without Showing Your Face** Learn how to build an AI-powered content channel — no face, no fame needed. ⚠️ Register below to claim your place — RSVP is just the first step. ### [🔗 GET YOUR SPOT](https://aiventurelab.org/product/AiInfluencer?city=Toronto&groupurlname=bloom-literary-society-reading-circle&startgmtdatetime=2026-07-08T22:00:00Z) --- What you'll create: - A content system that grows on autopilot - A faceless brand that runs without your time - AI tools to generate, edit, and post content automatically *AI creates. You earn.* ✨

Saturday Writing Meetup – near Bloor-Yonge

\*\*NOTE: This meetup currently lacks a regular host. (The current hosts are volunteers for online organizational purposes; they show up in person occasionally.) If you arrive and there is no host, don’t worry. Whoever is the longest-running member (or whoever wants to) can set the timer for the writing session. In this way, the meetup is self-sustaining, and not dependent on any one person. Thanks for your understanding.\*\* Join us for an hour of quiet writing, followed by an hour of (optional) socializing. \*\*SILENT WRITING BEGINS AT 1:15 PM. IF YOU'RE LATE, WELCOME! WE WILL IGNORE YOU (BECAUSE WE'RE BUSY WRITING) UNTIL 2:15 PM.\*\* This meetup is open to everyone, whether you’re writing a novel, blog, class paper, or journal entry—or something completely different. Anyone interested is welcome to attend :) LOCATION: 5 Elements Cafe, basement level RSVP: Please be advised that seating is first-come, first-served, even if you have RSVP'd. Seats are not reserved and we can't control how many other people are in the cafe. We recommend coming down to the basement to grab a spot before you buy anything, just in case. SCHEDULE: 1:00 to 1:15 PM: Arrive and get settled in. 1:15 to 2:15 PM: Write in silence for an hour. \*\*If you arrive after 1:15, please silently find your own place to sit. We'll welcome you to join the group at 2:15.\*\* 2:15 PM: Introduce yourself. We'll go in a circle; just say your name and 1–2 sentences about what you're writing. (E.g., "I'm Rudolph and I'm writing a non-fiction book about reindeer.") 2:20 PM onwards: Chill/leave. Chat, hang out, keep writing if you want, leave whenever.

Brunch at the Morning After (no meet up fee)

Greelz on Bloor - Nigerian food

Snap & Stroll Toronto Day Meetup #5

Join us for our fourth *Snap & Stroll* — a laid-back photo walk in Kensington Market and surrounding area open to anyone who loves capturing life on the move. Bring any camera (yes, even your phone), comfy shoes, and good energy. No pressure, no pro skills needed — just walk, shoot, and vibe with fellow creatives. We’ll wrap with optional drinks and/or food nearby. **Note:** **Event will be cancelled if there is heavy rain expected that day.**

Aligning Large Language Models (LLMs) with Human Wellbeing

Contemporary large language models (LLMs) are predominantly trained using reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), optimizing for immediate user approval rather than long-term well-being. As A.I. systems increasingly serve socioemotional functions, this optimization strategy poses significant risks. Recent evidence demonstrates that leading models exhibit systematic sycophancy, affirming inappropriate user behaviors and preserving user face at rates far exceeding human baselines, while being approximately 40\\% more likely to reinforce incorrect beliefs than their non-RLHF counterparts. We contend that the AI community must fundamentally reconsider training objectives to balance short-term satisfaction with long-term user outcomes. We propose three directions: (1) incorporating longitudinal metrics into training that capture sustained goal attainment and reduced regret rather than momentary preference, (2) enabling explicit user choice among interaction modes (concierge, collaborator, coach) with transparent justification for model pushback, and (3) developing frameworks that provide constructive challenge without paternalism. The recent industry backlashes against both excessive and insufficient model agreeableness underscore the urgency of this shift. We argue that optimizing AI systems for human flourishing, not merely human approval, represents both an ethical imperative and a path to more sustainable, trustworthy AI deployment. Conference Schedule * 9:00 AM: Breakfast & Arrivals * 9:30 AM: [Karina Vold](https://philosophy.utoronto.ca/directory/karina-vold/) (Associate Professor, Philosophy, University of Toronto): Introductions & description of FloreaAI project * 9:40 AM: [Ashton Anderson](https://www.cs.toronto.edu/~ashton/) (Associate Professor, Computer Science, University of Toronto): Description of the CS team's work on FloreaAI * 10:05 AM: [Louis Tay](https://hhs.purdue.edu/directory/louis-tay/) (Professor, Psychological Sciences, Purdue University): Description of psychology team's work on FloreaAI * 10:30 AM: Coffee break * 11:00 AM: [Gwen Bradford](https://philosophy.utoronto.ca/directory/gwen-bradford/) (Associate Professor, Philosophy, University of Toronto): Primer on philosophical theories of well-being​ * 11:30 AM: [Eran Tal](https://www.mcgill.ca/philosophy/eran-tal) (Associate Professor, Philosophy, McGill University): Primer on the measurement of well-being​ * 12:00 PM: Lunch * 12:30 PM: [Karina Vold](https://kkvd.com/) (Associate Professor, Philosophy, University of Toronto): Introduction to AI alighnment for well-being * 1:00 PM: Group discussion (with a coffee break from 1:45-2:15) An event presented by the University of Toronto's Centre for Ethics, the John Templeton Foundation, and Florea AI. About the Centre for Ethics (http://ethics.utoronto.ca): The Centre for Ethics is an interdisciplinary centre aimed at advancing research and teaching in the field of ethics, broadly defined. The Centre seeks to bring together the theoretical and practical knowledge of diverse scholars, students, public servants and social leaders in order to increase understanding of the ethical dimensions of individual, social, and political life. In pursuit of its interdisciplinary mission, the Centre fosters lines of inquiry such as (1) foundations of ethics, which encompasses the history of ethics and core concepts in the philosophical study of ethics; (2) ethics in action, which relates theory to practice in key domains of social life, including bioethics, business ethics, and ethics in the public sphere; and (3) ethics in translation, which draws upon the rich multiculturalism of the City of Toronto and addresses the ethics of multicultural societies, ethical discourse across religious and cultural boundaries, and the ethics of international society. The Ethics of A.I. Lab at the Centre For Ethics recently appeared on a list of 10 organizations leading the way in ethical A.I.: https://ocean.sagepub.com/blog/10-organizations-leading-the-way-in-ethical-ai

Holiday Time!

**I'm away on vacation! See you soon and check the schedule for our ongoing Sunday hikes!**

Open Mic: Part XVII

**Toronto Writers Community** is having an Open Mic event on July 17 @ the **Tranzac Club** (**292 Brunswick Ave**). Let's make it count for our 17th Open Mic.Things are getting even warmer in Toronto and it's time to gather and share our work in the spirit of renewal and rebirth. Let me know either here on Meetup or through [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/torontowriterscommunity/) or the night of, if you would like to present. We can't wait to see you! **Be at the 17th Open Mic on the 17th of July!** Bring a friend or two or three and get ready for a night of sharing work and taking in the talent that Toronto has to offer. Feel free to read or to come and listen. Meet new people, get inspired. **416** 6:30pm, ends at 9:30pm Friday, July 17, 2026. TRANZAC CLUB - 292 Brunswick Ave Hope to see you there! As always, the event is free, but a donation bowl will be present. An extra thanks to the [Alexandra Writers Centre Society](Alexandra Writers Centre Society), our sponsor. They make these Open Mics in Toronto possible.

Toronto Go Remote in 14 Days

🌏 **Go Remote in 14 Days – Remote Ready Bootcamp** Go fully remote in 14 days with a proven income framework. No office required. ⚠️ Register via the link below — RSVP alone is not a confirmed spot. ### [🔗 SAVE YOUR SEAT](https://aiventurelab.org/product/RemoteReadyBootcamp?city=Toronto&groupurlname=bloom-literary-society-reading-circle&startgmtdatetime=2026-07-08T22:00:00Z) --- What's included: - A 14-day action plan with daily tasks you can follow - Proven remote work frameworks used by digital nomads worldwide - Tools and tactics for landing remote clients fast *14 days to freedom. Start here.* 🚀

Short Reads Social #9: "Has the internet ruined sex?" (July 14th)

**Alternative title: "Horny on main: our techno sex-dystopia."** Short-Read Socials are back! Come meet with like-minded and unlikeminded people to talk about the topic of the month. This time, we're thinking about **the internet, alienation/sociality, sex, and sexual content.** *How have digital platforms and commercialization changed how we consume sexual content? Are people today truly more open about their sexuality? Has the ubiquity of sexual content made us more empowered or repressed?* \-\-\- **How does it work?** * The event is casual. You can talk to anyone there with or without our prompt sheets, either about the month's topic or about whatever you want. * Open philosophical discussion, including for controversial topics, is welcome but be respectful :) * If you've read/watched/heard anything related to the topic of the month, feel free to bring it in! Not necessarily physically, but you can if you want... * If not, here are some thought-provoking reads to start you off (read as many or as few as you want): * [The Goon Squad](https://harpers.org/archive/2025/11/the-goon-squad-daniel-kolitz-porn-masturbation-loneliness/) * [How Only Fans Took Over the World](https://aella.substack.com/p/how-onlyfans-took-over-the-world) * [Smutty novels are blowing up BookTok - but why are their covers so discreet?](https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/love-sex/best-smut-books-tiktok-buy-b2153373.html) * [Puritanism took over online fandom — and then came for the rest of the internet](https://www.removepaywall.com/search?url=https://www.vox.com/culture/23733213/fandom-purity-culture-what-is-proship-antiship-antifandom) * Feel free to post other recommendations (blogs, movies, tv episodes, video essays, etc.) in the comments!

Make Friends at a Cafe - Good Chats App BETA

**GoodChats.** . **Newest Way to Make Friends in Toronto!** . Ever walked into a coffee shop and wished you knew the people around you? That’s exactly what GoodChats is for. . Our Coffee Chat events are designed to make meeting new people feel natural — no awkward intros, no swiping, no pressure. Just real conversations with people who already share your interests. **How it works:** . **1) Sign up on iOS or Android** Download the GoodChats app to get started. . Use the code **COFFEE** to sign-up for the invite-only app today! [https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp](https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp) . **2) Start a chat about what you like** Talk about anything you’re into — hobbies, ideas, random thoughts. The app builds your profile based on what you actually care about. . **3) Join a Coffee Chat** We match you with a small group of people who share similar interests and invite you to a local coffee shop meetup. That’s it — just show up, grab a drink, and talk. . **What to expect:** * Small groups (so it’s actually easy to connect) * Weekly events at local coffee shops * A relaxed, low-pressure environment * People you’re genuinely likely to vibe with . **Good to know:** * Events are **completely free** * All event details and invites are inside the GoodChats app * We’re currently in **beta**, with new Coffee Chats happening every week Use the code **COFFEE** to sign-up for the invite-only app today! [https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp](https://linktr.ee/goodchatsapp) . If you’ve ever wanted meeting new people to feel easier (and more real)… this is for you.