Understanding AI for Business

What is AI and How It Works 
• A clear and practical introduction to artificial intelligence and large language models (LLMs), stripped of hype and technical complexities and jargon
• Visual, simple explanations of how LLMs like ChatGPT generate answers using patterns —not understanding (pattern matching vs comprehension, and why that matters in business decisions).
• What AI does well, when it fails (e.g. hallucinations, math) and why, and how to think critically about results (reasoning, bias, etc.)

Everyday AI in Business
• What are the available tools for text and image, and how to use them
• How can AI be applied to daily business tasks: summarising information, rewriting emails, generating replies, and reporting?
• Introduction to prompt engineering, including how to write clear, specific, and constrained prompts. From Prompts to Assistants
• Real-world uses of Custom GPTs for internal processes like onboarding, HR, compliance, and support.
• Breakdown of what a GPT can do: structured outputs, embedded documents, and business-specific tone.
• Live example: building a simple documents-based Custom GPT assistant from scratch.

Understanding AI’s Limits and Potential
• Advanced Custom GPT assistants: social media, customer support, HR (tips & tricks)
• Introduction to automations, agents and tools (Model Context Protocol or MCP)—what they are, what’s real today, and what’s not.
• Help starting your own Custom GPT, recap and work for next session

Outcome: By the end of this workshop, you’ll have a grounded understanding of how AI works without technical knowledge, how to use it practically for real business tasks, and what makes a good use case. You’ll leave with a custom GPT example you can recreate for your business, and a clear sense of what you’ll build in the next sessions

Eligibility:
These small group workshops are funded by Norfolk County Council and Department of Business and Trade and are open to any business, freelancer, or charity based in Norfolk, UK.

Meet the Trainer
Giancarlo Erra is a seasoned tech-creative entrepreneur and business consultant with over 25 years of experience across multiple industries. As a professional touring musician, his unique background bridges the worlds of technology and creativity, giving him a distinctive edge in using innovative solutions to drive business growth and streamline operations. As a former developer and technical director, Giancarlo has led projects ranging from full stack development and system administration to AI-driven applications, providing tailored consultancy to SMEs and startups. His extensive experience includes founding Promethean Box Ltd, an umbrella company including AI-driven startups like Tweetify It, a tool for generating personalised social media content, and Copyforge, which helps automate blog and article creation. As the founder of YourVault.AI, he is currently developing private AI solutions to help small and micro-businesses deploy AI models securely on their own data. A public speaker and mentor, he regularly organises AI Summits and hackathons, helping businesses and individuals easily adopt AI tools and focusing on practical applications that deliver real value.

Registration at 9am, workshop starts at 9.15am. There will be a refreshments on arrival and mid-morning.

Book here