by Joe Cheng and Garrick Aden-Buie
🗓️ September 16, 2025
⏰ 09:00 - 17:00
🏨 Regency VII
✍️ https://posit-conf-2025.github.io/llm/
Large Language Models (LLMs) open up a world of programmatic possibilities, giving developers easy access to capabilities that would have seemed like science fiction only a few years ago. But for many, the idea of integrating LLM APIs into their workflows feels daunting. This workshop is here to show you otherwise.
We’ll introduce you to ellmer (R) and chatlas (Python), two user-friendly packages developed by Posit that make calling LLMs from code surprisingly straightforward. These tools handle the complexities of conversation history, tool calling, vision support, and more, so you can focus on experimentation and creativity. They also integrate nicely with Shiny for R and Python, where you can easily create chat interfaces or build custom web apps around LLM workflows.
Along the way, we’ll explore system prompt design, token management, tool calling, and structured output, all while building familiarity with the various models and vendors that are shaping the AI landscape today.
You’ll discover that:
- Calling LLMs from code unlocks new possibilities that go far beyond what’s achievable with off-the-shelf tools like ChatGPT.
- It’s easier than you think—no advanced AI background required.
- It’s incredibly fun and rewarding to bring your own ideas to life.
This workshop is perfect for those curious about AI but unsure where to start, as well as for seasoned developers looking to learn about Posit’s new tools. We’ll also touch on more advanced topics like Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) and tool calling. You’ll get hands-on experience with guided projects or with the flexibility to explore using your own projects.
If you’ve been sitting on the fence, wondering whether LLMs are worth diving into, this workshop will give you the hands-on experience and confidence you need to get started.
Set-up instructions will be added soon!
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 09:00 - 10:30 | 💬 Talking with LLMs via Code |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | ☕ Coffee break |
| 11:00 - 12:30 | 💻 Programming with LLMs |
| 12:30 - 13:30 | 🍽️ Lunch break |
| 13:30 - 15:00 | 🔍 Augmented Generation |
| 15:00 - 15:30 | ☕ Coffee break |
| 15:30 - 17:00 | 🚀 Beyond Tools |
Joe Cheng is the CTO and first employee at Posit, PBC (formerly known as RStudio), where he helped create the RStudio IDE and Shiny web framework, along with countless complementary tools and packages.
Garrick Aden-Buie is a Senior Software Engineer for Shiny at Posit. He builds broadly accessible tools that help everyone do data science in R and Python with Shiny, Quarto and R Markdown.
Garrick is a passionate and long-time R user and educator and has enjoyed sharing his work online at https://garrickadenbuie.com and via numerous open source projects including epoxy, xaringanExtra, and tidyexplain.
