On October 12, 2024, I attended the Samsung Open-Source Conference Philippines (SOSCON PH) 2024 held at Novotel Manila, a large-scale onsite event organized by the Samsung R&D Institute Philippines that brought together developers, tech enthusiasts, and professionals from across the country. The conference featured a diverse lineup of sessions and keynotes led by industry experts, covering cutting-edge topics such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Large Language Models (LLMs), Cybersecurity, UI/UX Design, and more, serving as a platform to explore open-source contributions, promote innovation, and discuss the future of technology both locally and globally.
Attending SOSCON PH deepened my understanding of the complexity of emerging technologies, particularly AI and LLMs, and one of the most impactful sessions explained the process of training AI models—from data collection and creation of training sets to continuous learning and fine-tuning—which clarified the foundations behind the intelligent systems we use today. I also gained new perspectives from the UI/UX design sessions, where I learned key principles such as minimalism, consistency, accessibility, and user-centered thinking, which reshaped how I view usability and interface design.
These insights have practical applications, as they inspired me to explore platforms and tools where I can build simple AI models or contribute to open-source projects, and in terms of design, I now plan to apply what I learned to future projects by focusing on clarity, simplicity, and improved user navigation. The event was well-organized, with a smooth registration process, well-paced and engaging sessions, and a vibrant atmosphere driven by both the speakers and attendees, all of which made the experience not only informative but also enjoyable.
As a suggestion for future editions, adding hands-on workshops or breakout sessions would enhance learning through direct application, and making post-event materials or session recordings accessible would allow participants to revisit key topics; additionally, having a mobile-friendly program or app would make navigating sessions during the event more convenient.