Get started with AI in just two weeks. Four sessions. Two weeks. Real results.
Learn to use AI the right way - ethically, safely, and with the lowest environmental impact
You've heard about AI. You might have tried it once. But something stopped you - maybe it felt overwhelming, maybe you weren't sure what was safe to put in, or maybe you just didn't know where to start.
You're not alone. Most small business owners are in exactly the same position: Curious about AI, short on time, and quietly worried about getting it wrong or getting left behind.
This four-week course is designed for exactly that moment. Not a webinar you watch and forget. This is a small, hands-on programme where you actually use AI - with your own real work, in the room, with guidance throughout.
What kind of AI are we talking about?
This course focuses on generative AI - tools like Claude, Gemini, ChatGPT, and Copilot that you talk to in plain English to draft, summarise, research, and problem-solve. No robots, no coding, no automation pipelines. Just practical tools you can open in a browser and start using today to help make your business more successful.
We'll mainly use Claude for demonstrations, but the skills you build transfer directly to any generative AI tool. What you learn here, you can apply anywhere.
Why this matters for small business owners
AI can save you hours every week on the tasks that eat your time - emails, summaries, research, drafting, planning, creating. But using it carelessly carries real risk: Privacy breaches, confidentiality failures, and outputs you can't stand behind.
This course gives you both: The time savings and the confidence that comes from knowing you're using AI responsibly - ethically, safely, and with the smallest environmental footprint possible.
What you'll cover
Week 1: What AI actually is - and your first hands-on win
Week 2: How to use AI safely - what to put in, what to keep out, and how to verify what comes back
Week 3: Saving time on everyday work - emails, summaries, research, drafting, and more
Week 4: Building an AI habit that sticks - small actions, real results, sustainable practice
What to expect
Two sessions per week over two weeks, each 45 minutes online. Group size kept deliberately small so everyone gets real help, not just a seat in a webinar.
Each session follows the same shape: a short teaching segment, then you do it yourself with your own work, then a small task to try before next week. The teaching is recorded so you can catch up if you miss a week. The hands-on work is never recorded - because that's where the real learning happens, and you need to feel free to fumble.
You'll leave with:
Confidence to use AI in your daily work without second-guessing every decision
A clear understanding of what's safe - and what isn't
Practical workflows you can use straight away
A personal AI action plan built around your actual business
Access to teaching recordings and supporting resources
This is a small, active cohort - come ready to participate, try things live, and bring your real work challenges.
What you'll walk away with
By the end of 101 - First steps, you'll understand what generative AI actually is, know exactly what's safe to use it for and what to keep out, and have used it successfully on your own real work - not a demo, not someone else's example. You'll have saved measurable time on at least one everyday task, know which tools exist and which are worth using (and why - including on privacy, ethics, and environmental impact), and have a personal AI action plan you can act on the following Monday morning.
You won't finish this course an AI expert - and that's entirely the point. You'll finish it having dipped your toe in, saved real time on real work, and with enough confidence to keep going. That's all you need to start.
Who it's for
Small business owners, sole traders, and their teams who have little or no experience with AI and want to start using it in a way that's practical, responsible, and right for their business. No technical knowledge required.
Ready to go further?
102 - Next steps is the natural follow-on, taking you from confident beginner to someone with real, repeatable AI workflows built into your business. Buy both together for $600 and save $150 - that's 20% off the full price.
https://events.humanitix.com/responsible-ai-for-small-business-102-next-steps-nz
