AI Starter
AI Starter is a practical program for SMB employees who want to build a strong foundation in using AI safely and productively at work. The program covers AI fundamentals, prompt writing, identifying useful workplace applications, practising with tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and CRM-based AI, reviewing output quality, and developing responsible AI-use practices.
This program is designed for everyday business users with no technical background who want to use AI with greater confidence, consistency, and purpose while improving productivity across common workplace tasks.
What to expect
AI Starter is a 4-week instructor-led program designed for SMB employees who need a practical foundation in workplace AI. The program is built for everyday business users and does not require a technical background.
Participants learn what AI is, where it can and cannot be reliably used, how to write better prompts, and how to apply AI tools to real workplace tasks. The program focuses on safe, practical, and confident AI use through guided instruction, in-class exercises, and applied practice.
By the end of this program, participants will be able to:
- Explain how AI works in plain business language
- Understand where AI can be useful and where human review is still required
- Apply a structured prompt framework to produce better AI outputs
- Identify practical AI opportunities in their own daily work
- Use AI tools across common workplace tasks with instructor guidance
- Review AI output quality and improve prompts when results are unclear or incomplete
- Contribute to shared team AI habits, prompt examples, and safe-use practices
Curriculum Details
Module 1:
What Is AI Really?
Participants are introduced to the core concepts of artificial intelligence in simple business language. The module explains how large language models work, where they commonly fail, and why clear instructions are important for getting useful results.
Module 2:
Prompt Engineering Fundamentals
Participants learn a practical prompt framework built around role, context, format, and constraints. They practise writing prompts using real work tasks and begin building a personal set of tested prompts they can reuse.
Module 3:
Your AI Opportunity Map & Tool Practice
Participants review their own tasks and identify where AI can support productivity, communication, research, or repetitive work. The session includes hands-on practice in the AI platform their team uses, such as Microsoft Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT, or CRM-based AI tools.
Module 4:
Putting It Into Practice & Simple Governance
Participants review what worked and what failed during practice, then improve their prompts using a structured checklist. The module also introduces simple team guidelines for acceptable use, data handling, human review, and responsible AI habits.
Timeline
Registrations open year round.
Registration details
Program Format
The program is delivered in-person and virtually
Price
$5,000 + HST per trainee
Duration
4 weeks
Best designed for
- SMB employees who want a structured introduction to AI tools used in the workplace
- Customer service, sales, administrative, and operations staff who complete repetitive written tasks
- Team members whose managers have introduced AI tools and want everyone trained consistently
- Business owners who want a low-risk starting point for building AI capability across their team
Registration is open
Registration is now open.
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Contact us
For more information, please contact us at
yspace@yorku.ca
416-736-2100 ext. 44940
