GenAI Quick Start for Small Business (Practitioner-Led)

Schedule

Tue Jan 27 2026 at 09:00 am to 12:00 pm

UTC-08:00

Location

VIATEC | Victoria, BC

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Learn safe, practical AI for small business in this practitioner-led 3-hour workshop on policy, communications, and hands-on GenAI skills.
About this Event

Generative AI is changing how small businesses work - but most owners don’t have the time to navigate the risks, policies, tools, and training needed to get started safely. This 3-hour workshop gives you a practical, responsible, and immediately usable foundation for adopting Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and other AI tools inside your business.

This session is led by a seasoned practitioner who has spent the last 18 months working directly with organisations across BC - from engineering firms to nonprofits to government-adjacent agencies - helping them assess and adopt GenAI in real operations, build policies, train staff, and reduce fear and uncertainty. This is not theory. It’s practical, hands-on, and grounded in real implementation experience.

You will leave the session with the core elements every small business needs to get started responsibly:

  • A clear GenAI Acceptable Use guideline you can apply immediately
  • A simple staff-ready AI adoption and augmentation policy
  • Leadership messaging templates and a staff FAQ to address resistance or fear
  • Prompt design skills and practical examples that you will have worked through
  • A clear understanding of risks, boundaries, and safe use practices



What You’ll Learn
1. Policy Essentials
  • How to use AI safely
  • Data protection and responsible use
  • What to include in a small-business Acceptable Use policy
  • Balancing safeguards with flexibility

2. Communications & Change Readiness
  • How to talk to staff about AI (without creating fear)
  • Leadership messaging that builds trust
  • How to introduce AI as an “augmentation, not replacement” tool
  • Creating a simple staff FAQ (template included)

3. Practical GenAI Skills Training
  • Hands-on prompt design and use (bring your laptop - it's hands-on)
  • What GenAI can do today - and where to be cautious
  • Templates and approaches that you and your team can use immediately


NOTE: Eligible BC employers may be able to recover up to 80% of the cost through the BC Employer Training Grant (BC ETG).



About the Organizer:

This event is organized by Steve Harris, founder of AI4Enterprise & LinkedIn.

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Where is it happening?

VIATEC, 777 Fort Street, Victoria, Canada

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

CAD 341.25

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Steve Harris - Ai4 Enterprise Corp.

Host or Publisher Steve Harris - Ai4 Enterprise Corp.

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